Poor visibility amid the prevailing dense fog hampers smooth vehicular movements, adding to the risk of accidents on different roads in Dinajpur and Rangpur region.
Besides, absence of adequate road markings on different roads, especially on the speed breakers, centre lines and side lines, adds to the drivers' problems.
Seventeen accidents took place on different roads in different areas of the region in the last three days, leaving more than 100 people injured, said officials of Highway Police.
Thick fog usually covers the northern region after sunset and continues till the noon next day.
At least 20 people were injured, seven of them seriously, when five buses and trucks rammed each other in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur in the early hours on Sunday. These vehicles were plying behind each other for avoiding accidents during the fog, but the driver of the front vehicle had to brake hard when he noticed a turning and it led to the accident.
The injured people were rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
On Monday evening, a passenger bus bound for Baliadangi upazila of Thakurgaon overturned at Pirermor in Kaharol upazila of Dinajpur and a Panchagarh-bound night coach overturned at Birganj upazila on December 30 early hours last year as the drivers failed to run the vehicles properly due to poor visibility amid dense fog.
Around 40 people were hurt in the two accidents.
Dinajpur-Dhaka via Gobindaganj regional road and Dinajpur-Dhaka via Rangpur highway and Panchagarh-Thakurgaon-Dinajpur-Dhaka highway are the most important routes in the distant districts of the northern region for travelling to and from the capital Dhaka, said leaders of transport workers unions in Dinajpur and Rangpur.
Such fog related accidents on roads can be averted if the authorities concerned take preventive measures before the onset of the foggy winter. But, they did not, alleged M Rafiq, president of transport workers union in Dinajpur. As the fog becomes thicker during the cold wave, drivers find it hard to steer their vehicles safely. Overturning, collision with stationed vehicles and dividers is a common sight on these roads, he said.
“Driving on roads becomes more hazardous during fog for absence of centerline and sideline markings, which help safe driving on roads,” he said.
During a recent ride on Dinajpur-Gobindaganj road and Dinajpur-Rangpur road, this correspondent found absence of road markings at many places.
Contacted, Masum Sarwar, executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department in Dinajpur, said road markings at a few places are missing as those were washed away by floodwater last year.
“Repainting will be started as early as possible. We are going to start marking the speed breakers by tomorrow,” he said.
