<span style="color: #222222;">The World Bank on Tuesday approved USD 358 million of financing for Bangladesh to help improve road safety and reduce fatalities and injuries from road traffic crashes in selected high-risk highways and district roads.<br />''<br />''This is the first dedicated road safety project in South Asia supported by the World Bank. It will help Bangladesh develop a comprehensive program to improve road safety management and minimise loss of human lives.<br />''<br />''In 2021, at least 6,284 people were killed and 7,468 others were injured in road accidents across the country, according to an annual report of the Bangladesh Road Safety Foundation (RSF). The World Bank estimates that the costs related to traffic crashes can be as high as 5.1 percent of the GDP.<br />''<br />''The project will pilot comprehensive road safety measures including improved engineering designs, signing and marking, pedestrian facility, speed enforcement and emergency care on two national highways Gazipur- Elenga and Natore-Nawabganj. These measures will help reduce road traffic deaths by more than 30 percent on these two highways.<br />''<br />''The project will help modernise the capacity of the Traffic Police and highway patrol to manage speeding and prevent risky road user behaviour by using a combination of automated enforcement systems, such as CCTVs, electronic messaging, and physical measures.<br />''<br />''The project will establish a training centre for Bangladesh Police to strengthen capacity on modern road safety enforcement. It will also develop a comprehensive training program for commercial drivers.<br />''<br />''It will also help in improving post-crash care which is critical in saving lives. It will set up an ambulance service via a toll-free number and upgraded emergency care services. It will provide training to medical providers on trauma care and help develop standards, protocols, and operational policies for emergency medical care services.<br />''<br />''The credit is from the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA), which provides concessional financing. It has a 30-year term, including a five-year grace period.</span><br />