We are saddened to learn of the tragedy that befell a 13-year-old in the Madinabagh area of the capital after he was run over by a garbage truck of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) on Thursday night. According to a report, Mahin Ahmed, a class 7 student, was fatally injured when the vehicle came out of nowhere, and declared dead shortly afterwards. Apparently, behind the wheel of the truck was not its designated driver but someone hired by him. This doesn't take the blame off the DSCC; it only further highlights the driver management crisis in the transport sector that has been responsible for so many deaths over the years.

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Will anyone take responsibility for traffic deaths?

The two city corporations of Dhaka—which maintain a large fleet of vehicles for various purposes—should have been an exception in this regard. They should have been strict about driver recruitment, rotation, and supervision. Unfortunately, the opposite has been the case, with their garbage trucks having reportedly claimed at least 18 lives since 2016. Unfit vehicles, lack of skilled drivers, and reckless driving are some of the reasons cited for the accidents. As an expert has rightly pointed out, the city corporations' management of trucks and drivers should ideally have been an example to follow for others, especially those in the private sector. But when they allow unskilled drivers or unfit vehicles, what message does it send to the wider transport community? The answer is for everyone to see.

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Structural killings, not road ‘accidents’

After the latest tragedy, the DSCC mayor has promised strict administrative action. But any corrective strategy must go beyond routine disciplinary measures. After some of the recent crashes, the city corporations formed probe bodies and recruited skilled drivers but these proved to be not enough. An investigation by The Daily Star has found that many crashes involving garbage trucks were not probed, and that some of those who were at the wheel got away. The city corporations also failed to properly implement the recommendations of their expert committees.

This is precisely why crashes keep occurring. We urge the city corporations, not just in Dhaka but across the country, to undertake regular inspections of their vehicles and drivers and prevent all irregularities so that no such tragedies recur.