education and publicity in bangladesh · ministry of communications roads and railways division...

Government of The People’s Republic of BangladeshMinistry of CommunicationsRoads and Railways Division

Third Road Rehabilitation and Maintenance ProjectInstitutional Development Component

Education and Publicity in Bangladesh

December 1999

F:\ManagementSvcs\Idc3_DFID\06reports\07Road Safety\Road Safety CD\Education & Publicity\end of visit report by Education &Publicity Specialist\end of visit report by Education & Publicity Specialist.doc

ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION AND PUBLICITYEND OF VISIT REPORT

December 1999

CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INPUTS.................................................................................... 11.2 FORMAT OF REPORT ....................................................................................................... 1

2 EXISTING CASUALTY SITUATION.................................................................................................................... 1

2.1 BACKGROUND................................................................................................................ 13 ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN................................................................................................................................... 3

3.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... 33.2 NATIONAL PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN.................................................................................. 33.3 TRAINING OF LOCAL SECRETARIAT STAFF .................................................................... 53.4 COORDINATION OF ROAD SAFETY.................................................................................. 53.5 QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER............................................................................................. 63.6 ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION PILOT PROJECT ................................................................... 73.7 FUTURE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS AND PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY.................................... 73.8 SOURCES OF FUNDING.................................................................................................... 83.9 EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY SECTOR PLAN ................................................................... 93.10 REVISED NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.................................... 10

4 THE WAY FORWARD.............................................................................................................................................11

4.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 114.2 FORMAL EDUCATION ................................................................................................... 114.3 NON FORMAL EDUCATION ........................................................................................... 124.4 MATERIALS .................................................................................................................. 124.5 COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES......................................................................................... 134.6 PUBLICITY.................................................................................................................... 134.7 TRAINING OF SECRETARIAT STAFF .............................................................................. 14

5 CONCLUSIONS...........................................................................................................................................................14

6 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................................................14

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Terms of ReferenceAppendix B: Pedestrian Safety Campaign 1999Appendix C: Future Training OptionsAppendix D: Persons and Organisations ConsultedAppendix E: UNICEF Facts For Life: Suggested Chapter On Road Safety (draft)Appendix F: MeenaAppendix G: Suggested Publicity Campaigns in BangladeshAppendix H: Revised Draft National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan

Road Safety Education and Publicity End of Visit ReportIDC3 December 1999

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EDUCATION AND PUBLICITYEND OF VISIT REPORT

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Technical Assistance Inputs

1.1.1 This report has been written by Kim Smith of Ross Silcock Limited, following twoshort inputs to IDC3 at the end of 1999. She was present in Bangladesh from 4October to 19 October, inclusive, and from 22 November to 16 December inclusive.Terms of Reference are included in Appendix A.

1.1.2 A local education and publicity advisor was appointed to the Secretariat to workclosely with the expatriate consultant. Dr Zohora Shamim started working on 4October 1999 and was appointed for a three month period. Some of the activitiesreported on in this document were progressed by Ms Shamim during the period whenthe foreign consultant was absent from Bangladesh.

1.2 Format of Report

1.2.1 The main output required in the TOR was a “Final Report on activities, includingrecommendations on future road safety education and publicity activities and publicawareness campaigns”. This report is intended to address that requirement. It is alsoused as a way of gathering together the various documents relating to the input and theresulting papers and reports.

1.2.2 The main body of this report deals with the activities undertaken, following the sameorder as the TOR. Recommendations on future road safety education and publicityactivities are included in sections 4. Future publicity campaigns are dealt with insection 3.7.

1.2.3 Previous IDC reports in this sector have included the following:• Children’s Traffic Education in Bangladesh: Final Report (IDC2);• Development of Road Safety Education Materials for Lower Primary School

Children in Bangladesh: Final Report (IDC2);• Road Safety Publicity in Bangladesh: Final Report (IDC2); and• T-IDC End of Visit Report.

It should be noted that this report builds on information documented in the previousreports rather than going over the same information again.

2 EXISTING CASUALTY SITUATION

2.1 Background

2.1.1 Previous reports on education and publicity have included some information on theexisting crash and casualty problem. It became apparent during the consultant’s



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second visit that national data was now available1. Some of this data is included hereto update previous information.

2.1.2 The main points from analysis of the 1998 national data, using the MAAPfive databaseare summarised as:• The majority of casualties are 26 – 30 years old (19%);• 47% of casualties are aged between 21 and 35;• Children (aged 0 – 15) account for 15% of casualties;• One third of casualties (33%) are pedestrians, followed by 14% bus occupants and

8% baby taxi occupants;• 51% of fatalities in Bangladesh are pedestrians;• Of the pedestrian casualties, 76% are male;• 28% of pedestrian casualties are aged between 21 and 35;• A further 28% of pedestrian casualties are children aged between 0 and 15; and• 54% of pedestrian casualties (61% of pedestrian fatalities) involve a collision with

a heavy truck or bus.

2.1.3 It can, therefore, be concluded that the main priority, in terms of road safety educationand publicity activities in Bangladesh on a national scale is pedestrian safety.

2.1.4 Figure 1 shows pedestrian casualties by age. From this it can be seen that the two agegroups most at risk are children aged 6 to 10 and young men.

Figure 1: Pedestrian Casualties by Age (all severities, provisional) - 1998, Bangladesh

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

0..5

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Age Group

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ties

2.1.5 One unusual result is that, although for most age groups males are much more likely tobe killed or injured, for 6 to 10 year olds, the incidence of female casualties is muchcloser. There could be various explanations of this, for example, perhaps children upto the age of ten are treated more similarly, but that after that age girls tend to be moreprotected. In general, the differences in reported casualties between males and

1 Data is provisional and requires validation



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females is likely to be due to the fact that women tend to have different travel patternsand are less exposed to the traffic environment.

2.1.6 While gender issues are important in any society, in Bangladesh at present the mainpriority in terms of road safety has to be men. However, it is important to recognisethat road crashes involving men, especially young men who may often be the mainbreadwinner of the family, also have an impact on women.

3 ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN

3.1 Introduction

3.1.1 The following sections outline the activities undertaken by the Education andPublicity Specialist during the two inputs, and where relevant, the local consultant.The following sections discuss the activities undertaken, in the same order as the TOR(see Appendix A).

3.2 National Publicity Campaign

3.2.1 The first task outlined in the TOR required the consultant to “assist preparation ofTV/radio/film road safety publicity/education material and advise on production andbroadcast matters”. Essentially this has been achieved by assisting the NRSC andBRTA to develop and implement a national road safety publicity campaign – the firstsuch campaign in Bangladesh.

3.2.2 Although the overall aim of any road safety publicity campaign is ultimately toachieve behavioural change and to reduce the number of casualties, it must berecognised that this is not possible to achieve with a single campaign. Behaviouralchange requires a sustained programme of publicity and education, combined withengineering and enforcement measures. Subsidiary aims of undertaking the campaignwere identified as being:• to raise the profile of the NRSC;• to raise awareness of road safety and the need for publicity;• to provide a training opportunity for local Secretariat staff; and• to target a major crash and casualty problem.

3.2.3 It should be noted that although the intention was to develop and implement a highprofile campaign, the level of exposure to a message is partly linked to the amount offunding available. The funds available for this campaign were extremely limited(around $20,000). Some elements of the campaign were either free of charge, or lowcost, however, some expenditure will always be necessary to ensure an appropriateand effective media mix. Free airtime was obtained from BTV and Bangladesh BetarRadio.

3.2.4 There is currently limited (but improving) data available in Bangladesh. Althoughthere are some concerns about the accuracy of data and the degree of under-reporting(and under-recording), the available data was used as a basis for campaigndevelopment. Good practice in publicity recommends the use of a data-led approach(which usually includes, but is not limited to crash and casualty data). It was also



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important to demonstrate the use of MAAP data by practitioners, to build ondevelopment work undertaken through IDC.

3.2.5 Data analysis suggested that the campaign should target young male pedestriancasualties. Basic roadside observations were undertaken to determine likely pedestrianbehaviours to be targeted through the campaign. The two main target groups wereidentified as either the pedestrians themselves or bus/truck drivers. The campaignbackground can be summarised as:

Pedestrian CampaignPossible

target groupsPedestriansTruck/bus drivers

Age 21 – 35 yr.Gender Male

Observedbehaviours

Pedestrians:• Do not look for traffic before crossing;• Run across road;• Cross anywhere (including through roundabouts);• Stand in the road;• Walk on both sides (back to traffic);• Walk on road.

Drivers:• Don’t see pedestrians• Speed• Importance/macho/king of road

Other issues Pedestrians thought to be poorer section of society

3.2.6 It was decided that the first major campaign organised by NRSC (and BRTA) shouldtarget pedestrians as they account for over 50% of fatalities in Bangladesh. In Dhakaalone, 60% of fatalities are pedestrians. In addition, implementation of a pedestriansafety campaign would comply with the current National Strategic Road Safety ActionPlan (1997 - 1999). It was further decided that the pedestrians would initially betargeted rather than the bus and truck drivers.

3.2.7 It should be noted, for provision of future campaigns, that in Dhaka the second highestcasualty group is rickshaw occupants, and on a national scale, pedestrian casualties arefollowed by bus occupants.

3.2.8 A campaign brief was prepared and given to several local advertising agencies. Theywere required to submit a proposal with itemised costings and creative ideas andBROTEE (Centre for People’s Participation, Training and Research) weresubsequently appointed.

3.2.9 The campaign was launched on Tuesday 7 December 1999 by Anwar Hossain, MP,the Minister for Communications who unveiled the campaign banner. The eventgenerated some press coverage and was reported on the evening news on Bangladesh



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Television (BTV). The campaign brief, materials associated with the launch andphotographs are included in Appendix B.

3.2.10 The campaign consisted of posters, banners, TV adverts and radio messages. Each ofthese are briefly described below:

• Posters: Two posters with the message “look right and left before you cross”.Poster 1 had a photograph of a man waiting to cross, poster two showed a man,woman and child. Both posters were on a yellow background, included the NRSClogo and wording and “BRTA”. 10,000 of each poster were printed (double crownsize) and distributed in Dhaka and the regions.

• Banners: 650 yellow banners with the same text message as the posters, and thelogos was produced. The banner was approximately 1m by 1.5m.

• TV: Three 30 second public service commercials were filmed using well knowncelebrities. A 45 second advert showing the consequences (on the family) of apedestrian fatality was also produced. All TV commercials included the NRSCand BRTA logos at the end. They were shown (free of charge) by BTV to obtainnational coverage.

• Radio: Four short radio messages were produced. All had the same signature tuneand ended with a message “brought to you by the NRSC”.

3.2.11 The campaign was intended to run for one month. This time period is generallyadequate for maximum exposure to the message. Longer periods are not effective asthe public become used to the message and are no longer aware of it. Fundingconstraints prevented wider coverage within Dhaka.

3.2.12 Ideally, the campaign should have been evaluated by pre- and post-testing knowledgeand attitude surveys. However, this was not possible due to time and budgetaryconstraints. Some basic market surveys were conducted to ensure that the campaignmessage was appropriate to the target group and understood by the general public.Several potential messages were trialed by BROTEE in this way.

3.3 Training of Local Secretariat Staff

3.3.1 Technology transfer through shadowing and on-the-job training was undertaken on aone-to-one basis. A short paper on possible future training options for Secretariat staffis included in Appendix C.

3.4 Coordination of Road Safety

3.4.1 Road safety coordination, one of the major roles of the NRSC and it’s Secretariat, hasbeen promoted throughout the input. This has been achieved primarily throughmeetings with many concerned organisations and individuals (see Appendix D).



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3.4.2 Specifically, advice was sought by LGED Tangail on the contents of two drafthandbills that they had prepared on women’s safety and first aid respectively.Detailed comments were prepared and submitted to LGED.

3.4.3 UNICEF produces a book entitled “Facts for Life”. It is intended as a book forcommunicators and outlines low-cost ways of protecting children’s and mother’s livesand health. The book is produced internationally as a draft, and is then adapted inBangladesh. 37,000 copies of the first edition (printed in 1995) were distributed.Since then, a second edition (1997) has been produced and 500,000 copies distributed.The third edition is currently being prepared and will be produced early in the newyear. It was agreed that a draft chapter on road safety education could be presented forconsideration to the Bangladeshi experts committee that decides the contents of Factsfor Life. While there is no guarantee that it will be accepted, it was felt that an attemptshould be made, as this was too good an opportunity to miss. A similar opportunity isunlikely to arise again for two years. The draft chapter is included in Appendix E.

3.4.4 Discussions have also been held with UNICEF to determine the possibility of roadsafety being included as an issue into the “Meena” initiative. Meena is a regionalinitiative in South East Asia and is currently used in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan andNepal. It is soon to be introduced in other countries, including Vietnam, Afghanistan,Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

3.4.5 The initiative was originally introduced in 1990 to improve girls’ rights, to encourageschool attendance and to increase self-esteem, and is based on the Convention of theRights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination Against Women. The initiative combines the use of animated films,BBC radio series, books, posters, flip charts and facilitators guides. There are now 12episodes which include health and social issues, such as gender equality, sanitation,hygiene and diarrhoea. 24 September is designated as Meena Day in the region.

3.4.6 There is a possibility of including road safety messages in Meena in the future. This isan exciting opportunity as it is always much more effective to build road safetyeducation into existing resources and networks that to develop a new approach. Roadsafety is increasingly being seen as a health issue and can easily built into suchprogrammes. In addition, all children have the right to receive road safety educationand to be protected from involvement in a road crash.

3.4.7 In the future, UNICEF have stated that they would be prepared to include one or tworoad safety messages in the activities undertaken on Meena Day and to consider roadsafety issues when developing new materials. At this stage, it is not likely that anepisode of the cartoon will be prepared on road safety alone. UNICEF has beensupplied with some basic guidelines on road safety education and priority messagesfor inclusion in materials on other issues (see Appendix F).

3.5 Quarterly Newsletter

3.5.1 A newsletter can be a good way of disseminating information about road safety. It canalso assist in the co-ordination function of the NRSC Secretariat by featuring articlesabout activities undertaken by various projects or other agencies.



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3.5.2 It had been intended that the first edition of what would, hopefully, have become aquarterly newsletter be produced. However, changes to the focus of the road safetyinputs as a whole meant that this activity had to be postponed.

3.6 Road Safety Education Pilot Project

3.6.1 The consensus of opinion of those consulted is that the best way to introduce materialsinto schools is as supplementary teaching materials through the NCTB. The previouspilot project of the materials was undertaken in Gazipur, however, it was suggestedthat it would not be possible to re-start this until March/April 2000. In the meantime,the work sheets have been re-translated, by the local education and publicity advisor,to make the language more appropriate and to clarify points that were previouslyqueried.

3.6.2 It is generally accepted that inclusion of road safety in a country’s national curriculumis the best way to ensure that children are incrementally taught appropriate safebehaviour. However, in Bangladesh there is a danger of the curriculum beingoverloaded with various health and social issues. The best way to improve road safetyeducation is, therefore, to develop supplementary teaching materials that support thecore subjects and core competencies of the existing curriculum.

3.6.3 An earlier version of the IDC worksheets has been sent to the NCTB for theirconsideration and eventual inclusion in supplementary materials if appropriate. In duecourse, the re-translated version will need to be sent to NCTB. They should also besent to Tangail District who had started using the previous materials.

3.7 Future Publicity Campaigns and Promotional Activity

3.7.1 The TOR required the consultant to develop a list of potential publicity campaigns forfuture implementation. A long list of suggestions has been prepared and is included asAppendix G. The suggested messages are based on a combination of crash andcasualty data, observation during several visits to Bangladesh, opinions of the localconsultant and experience.

3.7.2 It is recommended that, initially, at least one new national campaign per year bedeveloped and implemented, depending on availability of funding. Ideally it shouldfocus on pedestrian safety to ensure that this major casualty problem is systematicallytackled. The target group and campaign message can change, but with the overall aimof reducing pedestrian casualties. As more funds and technical capability becomeavailable, this could be increased to two campaigns per year, with a second topic beingtargeted.

3.7.3 Based on the national data available, the second campaign should be aimed at buscrashes and casualties, especially focussing on rural areas. In Dhaka, the secondpriority is rickshaws.

3.7.4 Evaluation of future campaigns is strongly recommended to ensure that lessons arelearnt from each campaign. If sponsorship is secured, this should include additionalfunds for evaluation, where possible.



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3.7.5 Good practice included in previous IDC reports on publicity2 should be followed toensure best value for money and a consistent approach. It is recommended that anadvertising agency be appointed where possible as this often results in a better (moreeffective) product.

3.7.6 In addition to organised national publicity campaigns, co-ordinated and organised bythe Road Safety Secretariat (RSS), District Road Safety Councils need to identify theirown casualty problems and develop local publicity accordingly. To reduceduplication of effort, it is essential that DRSCs keep the RSS informed of theiractivities.

3.7.7 Formal organised publicity campaigns can be supplemented by other promotionalactivity on an ad hoc basis, including but not limited to:• press releases;• articles in newspapers, journals and magazines;• seminars and workshops;• production of the quarterly newsletter (see 3.5);• safety aids (such as the rickshaw reflectors currently being promoted by the RSS);• give-aways (such as key fobs);• promotional videos on a particular subject; or• lobbying decision makers.

3.7.8 In addition to casualty reduction aims, such activities are useful in raising generalawareness of road safety and the scale of the problem in Bangladesh and can also raisethe profile of the NRSC. Any materials produced, including press releases andarticles, should always mention the NRSC and/or RSS to increase name recognition.

3.8 Sources of Funding

3.8.1 Due to time constraints, only one private company was approached with a view tosponsoring the publicity campaign. Also, the Community Road Safety InitiativesProject (World Bank) was investigating the possibility of setting up a road safety fund.There was a danger of duplication of effort if both projects approached the privatesector.

3.8.2 Considerably more investment needs to be made in road safety publicity and educationso that there is a continuous stream of ongoing advice, information and educationavailable to road users in Bangladesh. The activities of the proposed Road SafetyBoard and the newly staffed RSS should assist this aspect in future years. Increasingthe visibility of the RSS as the organisation with main responsibility for road safetywill help.

3.8.3 Apart from considerably greater investment in this sector by governmentorganisations, the goodwill and corporate responsibility of the private sector should beharnessed by getting them, where possible, to sponsor specific campaigns and roadsafety education initiatives. This could include sponsorship of production of

2 Road Safety Publicity in Bangladesh: Final Report. IDC2, 1998



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training/teaching materials, sponsorship of printing and distribution of documents andimplementation of publicity campaigns.

3.8.4 In other countries the private sector (e.g. banks, insurance companies, manufacturersand distributors) are often willing to invest large sums in road safety as part of theircorporate responsibility and/or marketing and public relations activity. There isalready some interest in Bangladesh and, once full-time technical staff are appointedto the RSS, one of their functions should be to raise funds through sponsorship.

3.9 Education and Publicity Sector Plan

3.9.1 In developing a revised National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan, comments duringconsultations on this, and previous inputs, have been taken in to account. It had beenintended to convene a Technical Advisory Group, however, there was little support forthis approach. Instead, the preferred approach appears to be for the consultant toprepare recommendations that can then be reviewed by local specialists. In addition,this would allow a consistent approach to other sector inputs.

3.9.2 The activities included in the previous Plan (July 1997 to June 1999) were, on thewhole, broad and non-specific. Many of the actions have been carried out, althoughthis has often been the result of expatriate inputs through IDC rather than by the localorganisations mentioned in the plan. This limits the degree of ownership that ispossible. Activities have also, on the whole, been carried out later than had beenplanned.

3.9.3 Table 1 shows the current status of the actions included in the previous plan. Noformal monitoring system has been applied, and this is a subjective assessment, but isonly used as an indication of how progress has been achieved to date. This also givesa basis for development of the next action plan for this sector.



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Table 1: National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan, July 1997 – June 1999:Action on Education and Publicity

Children’s Traffic EducationMinimum Output By Date Status Comments

Design educationprogramme

MoEBRTA

Sept1997

Partlyachieved

An education programme has been designed,e.g. in terms of suggested inputs to theenvironment curriculum. Draft worksheets forteachers were piloted under the IDC project.The programme has not been implemented.

Procure trainingmaterials

MoENGO

Mar1998

Partlyachieved

Some materials have been procured fromIndia as examples that it may be possible toadapt in the future. Training materials havealso been developed by other projects, e.g.Tangail TIDP.

Start training ofteachers

MoENGO

Mar1998 Complete

Several teachers were trained in 1998 as partof the introduction of pilot educationmaterials.

Implementprogramme

MoEJune1998

In-complete

The pilot education materials were pilotedunder the IDC project. Furtherimplementation was planned in late 1999, butgeneral advice was that it was not possibleuntil March 2000. The process fordevelopment/approval of supplementaryteaching materials is longer than the planperiod.

Publicity CampaignsMinimum Output By Date Status CommentsDesign publicitycampaign toeducate andimprove awarenessof pedestrians andother road users

NGOBRTAPolice

July1997

Complete Review of crash and casualty data confirmedthat pedestrians are a problem in Bangladesh.A local advertising agency was appointed todevelop a campaign.

Arrange funding BRTANGO

Sept1997

Complete Limited funding was secured for thecampaign. Future funding for publicity andother activities, through a road safety fundwas being investigated by CRSIP project.

Implementcampaign

NGOMOI

PoliceBRTA

Dec1997

Complete The NRSC Secretariat was responsible forimplementing the campaign, in consultationwith BRTA. The assistance of the TrafficPolice in an advisory role was also requested.

3.10 Revised National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan

3.10.1 The revised draft Action Plan for education and publicity is included in Appendix H.This is more detailed than the previous plan and is designed to assist the executingagencies by providing more guidance than in the earlier edition. It is suggested that anappropriate Technical Working Group be formed to discuss the plan prior tofinalisation and adoption of the plan by the Government.

3.10.2 Although some initial technical assistance is suggested within the plan period, this isintended to develop local capability such that there is no further need for long termexpatriate inputs. The aim is for sustainable, local road safety provision. However, at



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present there is limited technical capability within Bangladesh. Specific education andpublicity activities specified within the plan would be used as demonstration projectsto give training to locally appointed RSS staff.

4 THE WAY FORWARD

4.1 Introduction

4.1.1 In this section, the activities included in the draft Action Plan are discussed in moredetail. The intention is to give some of the reasoning behind the suggested activitiesand to indicate how they can be achieved.

4.1.2 Any provision of road safety supplementary materials must go through the Ministry ofEducation (MoE). It had been suggested previously that the best approach is for theChairman of BRTA to write to the Minister of Education requesting that road safetyinput in the curriculum be revised in the next revision cycle. The meetings that havebeen held with various individuals in the education sector on this visit have reinforcedthis. This is now a matter of urgency.

4.2 Formal Education

Include appropriate road safety education in primary curriculum supplementarymaterials

4.2.1 The amount of road safety in the curriculum does not have to, and in reality, cannotincrease. However, the existing road safety lesson needs to be further reviewed toensure that it is appropriate to the age group and that it focuses on crossing skills. Thecurrent lesson places too much emphasis on the knowledge of traffic signs. The bestapproach will be to develop supplementary teaching materials that are then passed tothe NCTB for comment and adoption.

Include road safety education in secondary curriculum supplementary materials

4.2.2 It is reported that there is currently no provision for road safety in the secondarycurriculum. Again, the overloading of the curriculum suggests that the best approachis to develop supplementary teaching materials. These could support existingcurricular areas.

In-service teacher training programme

4.2.3 Once supplementary teaching materials have been developed and approved by NCTB,it is recommended that a programme of in-service teacher training seminars becommenced. There are various existing programmes in existence that it may bepossible to link road safety with, rather than developing a new scheme. A sustainableoption for the formal education system would be to link into an establishedprogramme of in-service teacher training, such as sub-cluster training, organised bythe MoE.



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Initial teacher training at PTIs

4.2.4 Initial teacher training in road safety can be achieved through the Primary TrainingInstitutes (PTIs). The system in Bangladesh is such that once the national curriculumis changed (and it is understood that this is also the case when there are changes tosupplementary teaching materials) the teacher training curriculum automaticallyfollows.

4.3 Non Formal Education

Road safety included in non formal curricula

4.3.1 The Directorate of Non Formal Education (DNFE) has already included a chapter onroad safety in their textbook for slum children and Hard to Reach programme (whichthey say is as a direct result of the IDC project). This needs to be reviewed, and otheropportunities for inclusion identified. As with the formal education sector, the bestapproach may be to develop supplementary materials.

4.4 Materials

NRSC worksheets finalised/distributed

4.4.1 The worksheets that were developed under IDC2 have been re-translated to ensure thatthe language used is more appropriate. In order to finalise and distribute them, it isnecessary to obtain NCTB approval. This procedure should be started as soon aspossible. In the meantime, indications are that it may be possible to pilot the amendedmaterials in the field early in the new year.

NFE flip chart developed and distributed

4.4.2 One possibility that has been discussed previously with the DNFE is the developmentof a flip chart or other materials for use with adult literacy and other communityprogrammes. The actual work could be undertaken by an NGO, but the RSS mustcoordinate with the DNFE to ensure that the flip chart also meets their needs.

Child-to-Child sheet translated/distributed

4.4.3 Some organisations within Bangladesh use the Child-to-Child programme todisseminate health messages. There is already a Child-to-Child activity sheet on roadsafety that could easily be translated from English to Bangla and modified slightly tomake it more appropriate to Bangladesh. This would allow immediate inclusion ofroad safety into an existing, albeit not yet widespread, scheme.

Additional materials developed

4.4.4 It may be possible to adapt teaching materials in the short term from other countries(bearing in mind cultural differences). In the longer term, it will be necessary todevelop and produce new materials, based on needs. This will generally be wherethere is a gap in provision that is not covered by other organisations or projects.



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4.5 Community Programmes

Include road safety in adult literacy programmes

4.5.1 The benefit of including road safety within existing adult literacy programmes is thatit ensures best use of limited resources. There is additional benefit as it gives anopportunity to disseminate safety messages to parents - a group that is often difficultto access.

Community theatre production

4.5.2 Theatre has been used successfully in many countries to promote road safety.Bangladesh has a tradition of drama and puppetry and this can be used as a mediumfor getting road safety messages to appropriate groups. This approach is particularlyuseful to target community groups (especially where literacy rates are low). However,productions should be used as part of a wider programme rather than as a stand-aloneactivity to maximise the benefits. It is essential that they focus on one topic and donot try to cover too many road user groups or behaviours.

Talks to relevant groups

4.5.3 Research suggests that one-off talks are not effective alone in changing road userbehaviour. However, there is a place for giving talks to interested groups in order toraise awareness of road safety issues and to encourage them to undertake their ownprogramme of activities. Talks to community organisations, such as the Lions or theRotary Club can be useful as often their members are in a position to influence thesafety culture of their own companies.

4.6 Publicity

Press releases – general awareness raising

4.6.1 Press releases are a simple way to increase public awareness of road safety. They cancover crash and casualty data, NRSC/RSS activities and particular issues of concern.In Bangladesh the system of releasing press releases is particularly easy and effectiveas the RSS simply have to send a press release to the Press Information Department(PID) of the Ministry of Communications. PID then distribute the information to themedia.

New national campaigns (minimum 1 per year)

4.6.2 At least one new national campaign should be organised annually. The RSS shouldcoordinate the campaign and can be involved in development, but should contract outthe production of materials either to an NGO or to an advertising agency. For thenext, say, five years, it is recommended that the campaigns target pedestrians or busoccupants. However, data will need to be reviewed to determine whether these arestill the priority areas. Data should also be used to determine the target groups.



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Repeat national campaigns (1 per year)

4.6.3 The most expensive part of producing a campaign is the development of materials.Once a master copy is available, reproduction of campaign materials can be achievedat relatively low cost. It is therefore recommended that the same, or at least the mostsuccessful, campaigns are repeated. Depending on funding available, they couldeither all be repeated every year, or by rotation. This would be a cost-effective way ofincreasing the amount of publicity undertaken.

Local publicity campaigns

4.6.4 As well as national publicity campaigns, there is a need to develop local campaigns,based on local crash and casualty data and needs. These should be coordinated ordeveloped by the District Road Safety Committees, but with guidance from the RSS.The RSS need to be aware of local campaigns so that information and campaignmaterials can be shared to avoid duplication of effort.

4.7 Training of Secretariat Staff

In-service training

4.7.1 If technical assistance to the RSS is forthcoming, from whichever source, the foreignconsultants should be encouraged to undertake training of local staff. Project activitiescan be used as demonstration projects. Best practice in education and publicity mustbe followed to ensure that local staff are aware of the main issues.

Overseas training (course + placement)

4.7.2 There are various options for overseas training. For example, possibilities exist in theUK for attendance at a two-week training course combined with placement at a localauthority road safety section. This would give the delegates broader experience ofroad safety practices in a developed country. There are many Bangladeshicommunities in the UK and some of the road safety sections serving thesecommunities have offered placements.

5 CONCLUSIONS

5.1.1 There is great scope for improving road safety education and publicity, and thefunctions of the RSS, in both the short and the long term. Ideally, momentum fromactivities undertaken during IDC2 and IDC3 should not be lost. The newly appointedGovernment staff to RSS will, however, require training to ensure that they arecapable of meeting the road safety challenge, especially in the initial period.

6 REFERENCES

Dhaka Metropolitan Police: Traffic Accident Analysis Annual Report 1998

IDC2 (1998) Children’s Traffic Education in Bangladesh: Final Report



15

IDC2 (1998) Development of Road Safety Education Materials for Lower Primary School Children in Bangladesh: Final Report

IDC 2 (1998) Road Safety Publicity in Bangladesh: Final Report

T-IDC (1998) End of Visit Report

OECD (1993). Marketing of Traffic Safety. Report prepared by an OECD ScientificExpert Group. OECD, France.

UNICEF (1997) Facts for Life.

Appendix A

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY SPECIALIST

Position: Education and Publicity Specialist

Location: NRSC Secretariat

Report to: IDC3 Team LeaderNRSC Secretariat Coordinator

Counterpart: Mr Amanullah Choudhury, Director (Engg), BRTA

Timescale: 1.5 months during IDC3

Objectives: Oversee development of programme of road safety publicity campaigns andgive training and guidance on best practices in road safety education andpublicity to newly recruited local education and publicity specialist

Description of Role and Tasks:1. Assist preparation of TV/radio/film road safety publicity/education material and advise on

production and broadcast matters2. Give training to local Secretariat staff and assist with capacity building3. Assist and promote coordination between NRSC, NGO and consultant road safety

specialists4. Assist Secretariat in production of NRSC quarterly newsletter5. Evaluate proposal for pilot project in road safety education and advise on implementation6. Identify road safety publicity campaigns for funding and advise on future publicity

campaign programme for inclusion in NRSC stand-alone road safety project7. Investigate and identify potential sources of funding for future public

education/awareness-raising campaigns8. Assist NRSC Education and Publicity Technical Working Group to develop 2-year

Education and Publicity sector Action Plan.

Outputs: Final Report on activities, including recommendations on future road safetyeducation and publicity activities and public awareness campaigns.

Appendix BPEDESTRIAN SAFETY CAMPAIGN 1999

This appendix contains the following items:

1. Campaign brief2. Press release (1)3. Press release (2) – included in press pack4. Factsheet – included in press pack5. Photographs of materials6. Photographs of launch

Appendix C

TRAINING OPTIONS FOR NRSC SECRETARIAT STAFFIN EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY

In the earlier IDC project report on Road Safety Education in Bangladesh, several options fortraining Secretariat staff responsible for education and publicity were presented. As part ofthe current input of TA by the Road Safety Education and Publicity Advisor, these have beenreviewed. These recommendations are concerned only with training opportunities in the nextone to two years.

It is recommended that a combination of overseas and in-service training is most appropriatein Bangladesh.

Both the proposed manager and any local technical staff would benefit from a structuredtraining programme, comprising of two main phases:

Phase 1: In-service training through TA

This relies to a great extent on longer term inputs of a specialist consultant and sufficientfunds for implementation. The latter allows theoretical training exercises to be followedthrough and gives opportunities for technology transfer via demonstration and pilot projects,while also ensuring that activity continues under the NRSC.

During this phase the basics of road safety education/publicity provision would be taughtthrough regular in-house training workshops and shadowing of the specialist consultant.

Phase 2: Short course in the UK

The British Institute for Traffic Education and Research (BITER) run an approved one-weekcourse for new entrants to road safety in the UK. This course would be of benefit to allprofessional staff working in the Secretariat, including the Manager, as although it isprimarily designed for the UK, the principles of RSE are the same. The BITER courseincludes:

• The role of the Road Safety Professional;• Education and Publicity;• Introduction to Accident Investigation;• Working with Groups;• Enforcement; and• Integrated Approach.

Delegates are generally expected to have some experience of road safety prior to joining thecourse.

Timing: Dates for the course in the year 2000 are 2 – 7 April and 17 – 22 September 2000.Cost: £934.00 excl. VAT + air fare + return rail fare from London to Birmingham.

Appendix D

PERSONS AND ORGANISATIONS CONSULTED

BANGLADESH BETAR RADIOM I Chowdhury, Director General

BANGLADESH ROAD TRANSPORT AUTHORITY (BRTA)Md Amanullah Choudhury, Director (Engineering)Md Abdur Rab, Assistant Director (Engineering)

BANGLADESH SCOUTSHabibul Alam, National Commissioner (Programme)Md Rafiqul Islam Khan, Deputy National Commissioner (Programme)Md Abul Husain Sikder, Acting Executive SecretaryNizam Ahmed (BUET) – Scout Leader

CAMPETapon Kumar DasAnita Zeenat Zahan

COMMUNITY ROAD SAFETY INITIATIVES PROJECT (World Bank)Naheed Mustafa Ahmed, (ActionAid Bangladesh)Leif EllevsetMichael GouldJude de VeraJulie Viloria

DHAKA METROPOLITAN POLICEMd Mukbul Hossain Bhuiyan, Deputy Commissioner, Traffic

DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY EDUCATIONChris Cumming, ESTEEM ProjectFK Chowdhury, ESTEEM ProjectAluddin Ahmad, IDEAL Project Director

DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATIONAbdur Rahman, Director General

DFIDTeri Kelly, First Secretary, Senior Education Advisor

IMCTMurtaza Ahmed Babu, Co-ordinator, NGO Network on Road SafetyZebun Naher Khan Poli, Co-ordinator

F:\ManagementSvcs\Idc3_DFID\06reports\07Road Safety\Road Safety CD\Education & Publicity\end of visit report by Education &Publicity Specialist\Appendix E - Facts for Life.doc

1

Appendix EUNICEF: FACTS FOR LIFE

SUGGESTED CHAPTER ON ROAD SAFETY

What every family and community has a right to know

Road Safety

NOTE TO COMMUNICATORS

It is estimated that at least 5,000 people are killed in road traffic crashes every year inBangladesh. However, the level of under-reporting means that the problem may actually bemuch worse. It is also estimated that around 40,000 people are injured. Some will bedisabled for the rest of their lives.

The four prime messages in this chapter can help to prevent these tragedies.

Teaching children about road safety from an early age can help to develop good road safetyknowledge and behaviour, and can save lives. It is a long term strategy as we need to changeattitudes.

It is essential that parents, older brothers, sisters and others who take care of children knowwhat they need to do to prevent children from being involved in a road crash. Very youngchildren need to be protected. As they grow older and become more independent they need tobe taught safe road user behaviour.

Many of the adults who are killed or injured are young men, which has serious implicationsfor their wife, children and extended family.

PRIME MESSAGES

1. Road crashes are often avoidable. Research shows that human error plays a part in around95% of road crashes.

2. Very young children need to be protected. They do not have the skills required to be safeon the road and should not be allowed out alone.

3. By teaching road safety to children, we can prepare them for the future and help todevelop positive, safe attitudes that will reduce the number of people killed or injured inyears to come.

4. Everyone in the community has a responsibility to teach road safety to children.

Appendix FMEENA


2

Supporting Information

1. Road crashes are often avoidable. Research shows that human error plays a part inaround 95% of road crashes.

F Research shows that human error plays a part in around 95% of road crashes. Crashes aremore often due to people making errors than to poor roads or vehicles. By reducing speedon the roads and highways many lives would be saved.

F In Bangladesh there is considerable under reporting of road crashes. Although thenumber of fatalities recorded by Police is over 3,000 annually, the true number of deathsis likely to be at least 5,000 as the statistics rarely include the victims who die after beingtaken from the scene. In Bangladesh, the data suggests that for every person killed on theroads, eight will be injured. However, this is likely to be an underestimation as in othercountries the ratios are much higher (for example, Kerala, India has a ratio of 21:1), sothe true number of people injured in road crashes could be as many as 105,000 everyyear.

F At over 60 deaths per 10,000 vehicles, the fatality rate in Bangladesh is now one of thehighest in the world. These road crashes cause considerable hardship especially to thepoor. In general it is young men aged been 25 to 35 who are most at risk and their loss ofearnings and the need for care places intolerable burdens on households, particularlywomen. It is estimated that the minimum overall cost of road crashes in Bangladesh in1997 was over 6.8 billion taka.

F In Bangladesh, the most vulnerable road users are pedestrians. Around one third of allreported casualties and half of reported deaths are pedestrians. Many of those pedestrianskilled or seriously injured (around 30%) are children under the age of 15. Men aged 21 to35 account for around 40% of all pedestrians killed or injured. Men and boys aregenerally around three times as likely to be injured on the roads as women and girls.

F With increasing numbers of vehicles on Bangladesh’s roads, the situation is likely toworsen unless steps are taken to educate our road users from an early age.

2. Very young children need to be protected. They do not have the skills required to besafe on the road and should not be allowed out alone.

F Young children do not have the physical or psychological skills to cope with the roadenvironment safely. They are smaller than adults which makes it harder for them to seepast other traffic. They also are unable to judge speed and distance correctly and are oftendistracted and so do not give their full attention when walking along a road, or trying tocross it.

F Children under the age of five should not be allowed to cross busy roads alone. Olderbrothers and sisters can help, but they should only have responsibility for younger siblingsonce they are old enough to cope with the road crossing task. When walking alongsidethe road or trying to cross, adults should hold hands with their children so that they cannotdash out in front of traffic.


3

F Basic rules to follow include:• Walk along the right hand side of the road so that you are facing oncoming traffic,

especially if there is no footpath;• Use overbridges and subways when they are available as this is safer than crossing

a road;• Always look right and left for traffic before crossing the road• Hold hands with young children to stop them running into the road.

3. By teaching road safety to children, we can prepare them for the future and help todevelop positive, safe attitudes that will have reduce the number of people killed orinjured in years to come.

F Developing safe road user behaviour, and reducing the number of people killed andinjured is a long term process. It is important that children are taught road safety from anearly age, by parents, community groups and teachers. The skills taught must be linked totheir stage of development.

F Supervised practical experience is the best way of teaching pedestrian skills. Adults canhelp by always setting a good example when children are around.

F For younger children, the aims of road safety teaching are to increase young children’sawareness and knowledge of the traffic environment; to encourage safe pedestrian andpassenger behaviour and to assist young children to prepare for their future independenceas road users.

F For older children, the aims of road safety teaching are to increase their knowledge andunderstanding of the traffic environment, to continue to develop pedestrian skills, tointroduce basic principles about the movement of traffic and the safety of road users, andto develop an appreciation of the behaviour and problems of other road users.

4. Everyone in the community has a responsibility to teach road safety to children.

F The responsibility for road safety education of children should be a partnership betweenthe home, the community and the school. Teachers at government, NGO or Madrasahschools are in an ideal position to teach the basics of road safety to their students. Theycan also help by talking to parents and giving them information.

F Parents have an important role to play in the teaching of road safety to children. It is fromtheir parents that children learn their basic attitudes which determine how they willbehave as road users. Parents should be encouraged to always set a good example to theirchildren.

F Road safety affects the community as a whole. It is therefore a community responsibilityto ensure that our children behave safely on the roads. Encouragement should be given togroups such as the scouts and other community clubs to include the topic in theiractivities. Mosques can also help by giving out safety information or by encouragingpeople to set a good example.


4

F The Child-to-Child programme, which is used in some Bangladeshi communities has aworksheet on road crashes. This is a good basis for road safety teaching.

F Community leaders can help to make the area safer by asking local government toconsider using road humps and traffic calming to reduce the speeds of vehicles goingthrough the town or village. Companies also have a social responsibility to help improvethe road safety of their workers and their families.

F People who require more information about road safety can contact the National RoadSafety Council of Bangladesh at BRTA, Old Allenbury Road, Tejaon, Dhaka.

NATIONAL CURRICULUM & TEXTBOOK BOARDMd Riazul Islam, Member (Primary Curriculum)Shawkat Jahan, Specialist for Supplementary Materials

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MASS COMMUNICATIONSM. Lokman Ahmed, Additional Director General

PEOPLE’S THEATRE ASSOCIATIONLoko Natyadal, Director

SHELL BANGLADESH MARKETING LIMITEDJames Ashworth, Managing Director

THE BRITISH COUNCILMahmood Noman, Assistant Director

UNICEFJune Kunugie, Chief, Information and Advocacy SectionMira Mitra, Project Officer, Education SectionFarhana Rahman, Asstt. Project Officer, Education Section

IDCBill Hodgkinson, Team LeaderPatrick Gleeson, Coordinator, NRSC SecretariatIsmail HussainAndrew DowningQuazi Zacharia IslamGraham Elliott

In addition, it is recommended that the one-week course is combined with two weeks onplacement with a UK local authority. Several road safety sections have that they are preparedto offer placements.Timing: Two week period following on from BITER course in April or September 2000.Cost: Local travel and subsistence in the UK.

It is considered desirable that staff are sent on the course at different times, starting with themanager, to ensure that local capability is always left in Bangladesh. If staff are sent on thesame course, placements could be before or after the course so that no local staff would beavailable only for the week of the course.

Longer Qualification Courses

Manchester College of Arts and Technology (MANCAT) offer a more substantialqualification for safety practitioners. For UK based students this comprises of a two yearcorrespondence course with a series of residential weeks.

MANCAT consider that the correspondence course option is not appropriate for overseasstudents as the support available from the college would be limited. Discussions are currentlyunderway to develop a one year full-time version of the course. This is intended to includeEnglish summer school tuition (if required), greater access to tutors and college facilities andwork experience with a Local Authority Road Safety Section. Several such Sections haveagreed, in principle, to offering a placement to overseas students.

If the qualification was undertaken during the period when a full-time specialist consultantwas based in Bangladesh, they would be able to provide support to the student, and thecorrespondence option would be possible.

Leicester University run an MSc in Marketing. It is possible to undertake this throughdistance learning, although there is an occasional study day (for UK based students) and aSummer School often attended by overseas students.

NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY COUNCILBANGLADESH PEDESTRIAN CAMPAIGN

CAMPAIGN BRIEF

Background

In 1998 over 500 people died on the roads of Dhaka. 60% of those killed were pedestriansand 36% of all casualties were pedestrians. The NRSC Secretariat therefore intend to run alow cost, but high profile publicity campaign on this issue in November/December 1999.

From the data (Dhaka Metropolitan Police: Traffic Accident Analysis Annual Report 1998)the following emerge:• there is no effect of month, day of week or time of day;• 21 – 35 year olds are the main casualty group;• 84% of victims are male;• most pedestrian casualties were hit by a truck (24%), a bus (18%) or a minibus (16%).

Campaign Information

Target Audience: 21 – 35 male pedestriansSecondary Target: Truck/bus/minibus driversAction: Most collisions are with pedestrians crossing the road away from

junctionsObserved behaviours: Pedestrians

Run across roadCross anywhere (including roundabouts)Stand in the roadWalk on roadWalk on both sides (back to traffic)Do not observe trafficDrivers:Don’t see pedestriansSpeedImportance/macho/king of road

Main message: Look and listen to make sure it is safe before you cross the roadTiming and Duration: Mid November 1999 for approximately 1 monthOther issues: Tend to be poorer section of society; literacy ratesPossible media mix:(for consideration)

Radio;TV advert/filler;Cinema;Press;Leaflets/posters (minimal text);Public meetings;Drama production or puppet show.

Note: all campaign materials to include NRSC logo or tag line (“National Road SafetyCouncil of Bangladesh – working for safer roads in Bangladesh”) to raise general awarenessof NRSC.

NRSC Permanent Secretariat, BRTA, Old Airport Road, Allenbury, Dhaka. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel & Fax: 9113280

PRESS RELEASE

Date: 5 December 1999 Reference: NRSC/PR/2

FIRST NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

Mr Anwar Hossain MP, the Minister of Communications will launch the first national road

safety campaign on Tuesday 7 December. Safety messages will appear throughout December

on posters, banners, TV and radio.

The Minister will launch the campaign by unveiling a banner showing the campaign message

which is aimed at pedestrians throughout Bangladesh.

ENDS

The Minister will launch the campaign at BRTA headquarters at 3.30pm on Tuesday 7

December 1999. Members of the press are cordially invited to attend.

For more information, contact Patrick Gleeson, NRSC Coordinator. Tel: 9113280

NRSC Permanent Secretariat, BRTA, Old Airport Road, Allenbury, Dhaka. E-mail: [email protected] Tel & Fax : 9113280

PRESS RELEASE

Date: 7 December 1999 Reference: NRSC/PR/3

LOOK BEFORE YOU CROSS THE ROAD

In an attempt to save lives, the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) today launched their

first ever national campaign. Safety messages will appear throughout December on posters,

banners, BTV and Betar Radio.

Every year thousands of people are killed and injured on the roads in Bangladesh. Many of

those injured are maimed for the rest of their lives. The campaign highlights the

consequences of road crashes and the fact that the whole family can be affected, not just the

victim. The NRSC are calling for pedestrians to look for traffic before they cross the road.

Many collisions occur when a pedestrian simply steps into the road without looking. This

mistake could cost them their livelihood or even their life.

Mr Anwar Hossain MP, the Minister of Communications launched the campaign at BRTA

headquarters by unveiling the banner.

The campaign has been developed through the ongoing IDC project which is funded by the

UK Department for International Development.

ENDS

NRSC Permanent Secretariat, BRTA, Old Airport Road, Allenbury, Dhaka. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel & Fax: 9113280

PEDESTRIAN SAFETYFACT SHEET

Over half of the people killed on roads throughout Bangladesh are pedestrians.

As well as looking right and left before crossing the road, pedestrians can keep themselvesand their families safe by following these simple rules:

☺ Walk along the right hand side of the road so that you are facing oncoming traffic,especially if there is no footpath;

☺ Hold hands with young children to stop them running into the road;☺ Teach children to “stop, look and listen” before crossing the road;☺ Use overbridges and subways when they are available as this is safer than crossing a road;☺ When trying to cross a road wait on the footpath or at the edge of the road;☺ Do not run across the road;☺ Wear something light coloured at night so that drivers can see you.

For more information about the campaign or pedestrian safety, contact:

Patrick Gleeson, Coordinator, NRSC Secretariat, BRTA, Allenbury, Old Airport Road,Tejgaon, Dhaka. Tel: 9113280. E-mail: [email protected]

From 1998 national data (provisional), the following were found:

• One third of casualties (33%) are pedestrians, followed by 14% bus occupants and8% baby taxi occupants;

• 51% of fatalities in Bangladesh are pedestrians;• Of the pedestrian casualties, 76% are male;• 28% of pedestrian casualties are aged between 21 and 35;• A further 28% of pedestrian casualties are children aged between 0 and 15; and• 54% of pedestrian casualties (61% of pedestrian fatalities) involve a collision with a

heavy truck or bus.

CAMPAIGN MATERIALS (Posters)

CAMPAIGN MATERIALS (Banner)

PHOTOGRAPHS OF LAUNCH

Launch of Pedestrian Road Safety Campaign by Mr Anwar Hossain MP, the Minister of Communications at BRTA. Tuesday 7 December 1999.

NRSC Secretariat Road Safety Education Specialist, Dr Zohora Shamimbeing interviewed prior to launch.

Appendix G

DRAFT PUBLICITY PROGRAMME

There is a need to develop sustained, well planned road safety publicity campaigns for thegeneral public that focus on behavioural changes. It is essential that such campaigns are data-led, i.e. relevant data should be used to determine the subject of publicity and also the targetgroup. One obvious data source that can be used for campaign planning is crash and casualtydata. In Bangladesh adequate national data is becoming more readily available. The MAAPdatabase, which has been introduced to Bangladesh, allows appropriate data to be used byroad safety practitioners. To be more effective in changing some of the more ingrained road user behaviours, it hasbeen found that publicity measures work better when combined with increased enforcementactivity. In addition, engineering remedial schemes implemented should be publicised.

The level of literacy of the target audience will affect both the choice of media, and theeventual design of materials. In Bangladesh, literacy rates are low, especially in some ruralareas.

It is also necessary, whenever possible, to evaluate the campaign in terms of whether it hasbeen effective in changing the targeted behaviour, but also whether the materials have beenremembered, and whether they were placed for optimum exposure to the target audience. Theevaluation can, and should, be used to improve future campaigns. Previous IDC project reports1 have detailed the design and evaluation of publicity campaignsto raise public awareness and, ultimately, to change behaviour and reduce the number ofcasualties. The following is a long list (but not exhaustive) of possible campaign messages, based on dataavailable, general observations and on experience. Pedestrians are a priority area, especiallyin urban areas, due to the high number of casualties. In rural areas speeding trucks and busesare reported to be a crash problem. Suggestions for messages are given, but these need to befurther developed as part of campaign planning and design. Those messages that areconsidered, at this stage, to be priority areas of concern are marked. The National Road Safety Council Secretariat (or similar) have overall responsibility for theroad safety publicity programme in Bangladesh, either co-ordinating inputs from others, orthrough direct provision. The publicity programme needs to be reviewed annually, based ondata (i.e. initially publicity should be used where there is a crash and casualty problem, ratherthan a perceived problem). It is recommended that at least one major campaigns be implemented annually. For the initialperiod of activity, say five years, one national campaign should target pedestrian safety. Roadsafety publicity is a long term intervention and behavioural change can only result from

1 IDC 2 (1998) Road Safety Publicity in Bangladesh: Final Report

sustained campaigns, supported by engineering or enforcement. The message and target groupcan change for each campaign, but this will allow previous messages to be built upon. Other messages and priority areas can be targeted through the media as a general awarenessraising exercise, or through lobbying decision makers.

ROADUSER

GROUP

BASIC MESSAGE COMMENTS PRIORITY

Stop, look, listen before crossing the road ΥDo not run across the roadWalk on the footpath when you can Urban, but often no paths are

in use by hawkersWalk facing oncoming traffic Rural and urban ΥDo not stand in the roadUse footbridges/subways UrbanCross at police controlled junctions Often traffic does stop, so

easier to crossWalk at the side of the road Rural areas Υ

Pedestrians

Wear something light coloured at night Υ

ROADUSER

GROUP

BASIC MESSAGE COMMENTS PRIORITY

Passengers - do not sit on the roofSlow down – don’t speed Mainly rural ΥWatch out for pedestriansOnly overtake when there is nothing coming Mainly ruralAlways wear seatbelts when they are fitted Drivers/front seat passengers ΥAlways wear seatbelts when they are fitted Rear seat passengersSit children in the back not in the frontUse special seats for childrenLook and signal before turning

Car Drivers

Always stop at red traffic lightsAlways wear a motorcycle helmet ΥMake sure your helmet is fastenedOnly carry one passengerLook and signal before turning

Motorcycles

Slow down – do not speedDo not block footpathsDo not park on footpaths – they are forpedestrians

Target through shops/offices

Driving rules Based on violationsPublicise the number of crashes/casualties Raise awareness of problem ΥPublicity about engineering measures Υ

General

Publicity in support of enforcement Υ

Appendix H

NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN UPDATE

EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY

Draft

Problem

To develop safe road user behaviour, children need to be taught skills rather than focusingsimply on rules, regulations and knowledge of traffic signs. To be effective, road safetyeducation requires a clear structure within a recognised curriculum with a planned, sustainedand coherent programme of learning, based on sound educational principles. This is still notthe case in Bangladesh.

In terms of road safety publicity for the general public, there is little activity. There is a needto develop a long term data-led publicity strategy with adequate funding or sponsorship.

Road safety education is a long term intervention, aimed at developing positive attitudes inchildren such that they become safer road users in the future. Publicity is an indispensablepart of any nation’s road safety strategy. It is most effective when used in combination withengineering and enforcement initiatives.

Objective

To implement road safety education and publicity programmes in order to improve theknowledge, attitudes and behaviour of all road users, through a combination of formaleducation, non-formal education, adult programmes and mass communication.

Progress

Since the publication of the Road Safety Action Plan (1997 – 1999), there has been a greatdeal of activity in this sector. Some of this is the result of donor agencies including educationand publicity in road schemes and additional initiatives have been developed andimplemented by local organisations. In addition, the Global Road Safety Partnership havebegun implementation of a Community Road Safety Improvement Project as one of its focusprojects.

Recent activities include:

• CAMPE devoted one issue of their newsletter entirely to road safety education;• The Directorate of Non Formal Education (DNFE) have included a chapter in their text

book for slum children and the Hard to Reach Programme;• LGED in Tangail have developed a road safety book for children, produced by CAMPE;• CAMPE have developed their own action plan for road safety for their member NGOs;• Bangladesh Betar Radio have offered free air time to BRTA;• NRSC Secretariat have appointed a local education and publicity advisor;• A major road safety campaign, targeting pedestrians, has been developed by the NRSC.

Action on Education and Publicity

Further and sustained activity in this area is required. There is still a need to develop supplementary road safety in line with the nationalcurriculum. In addition hard-to-reach and children dropping out of the formal education system must be targeted through non-formal education,NGOs and other organisations. This requires development and production of teaching materials and trained teachers. Advice also needs to begiven to the general public via targeted publicity campaigns. Other essential activities required include community education programmes andgeneral awareness raising.

Suggested Plan of Activity

Formal EducationMinimum Output Organisations Training

requiredEquipmentrequired

TArequired

Timing

1. Include appropriate road safety education in primary curriculumsupplementary materials

PMEDNCTBRSS

3By end2004

2. Include road safety education in secondary curriculumsupplementary materials

DSE?NCTBRSS

3By end2004

3. In-service teacher training programme MOE 3 3 3 Ongoingfrom endof 2000

4. Initial teacher training at PTIs MOEPTIs

3 3 3 Ongoingfrom2001

Non Formal EducationMinimum Output Organisations Training


TArequired

Timing

1. Road safety included in non formal curricula DNFENGOs 3 3 3

By end2004

2. NGO training programme for teachers DNFENGOs 3 3 3

2000 –2001

MaterialsMinimum Output Organisations Training


TArequired

Timing

1. NRSC worksheets finalised/distributed RSSDEOsNGOs

3 3 3By end2001

2. NFE flip chart developed and distributed DNFENGOsRSS

3 By end2000

3. Child-to-Child sheet translated/distributed NCTBNGOs

3 By end2000

4. Additional materials developed RSSNGOsDNFENCTB

3 3 32000 -2003

Community ProgrammesMinimum Output Organisations Training


TArequired

Timing

1. Include road safety in adult literacy programmes DNFENGOs 3 3 3

By end2002

2. Community theatre production RSSNGOs 3 3

By end2001

3. GRSP Community Road Safety Improvement Project DRSCRSSNGOs

4. Talks to relevant groups RSSDRSC 3 3 3

Ongoingfrom mid

2000

PublicityMinimum Output Organisations Training


TArequired

Timing

1. Press releases – general awareness raising RSSPolice

3 3 Ongoing

2. New national campaigns (minimum 1 per year) RSS/NRSCDRSC

3 3 3 Annual

3. Repeat national campaigns (1 per year) RSS/NRSCDRSC

3 Annual

4. Local publicity campaigns DRSC 3 3 3 AnnualTraining of NRSC Staff

Minimum Output Organisations Trainingrequired

Equipmentrequired

TArequired

Timing

1. In-service training RSS 3 3 2000 -2001

2. Overseas training (course + placement) BITERUK LocalAuthority

3 April2000

Key: BITER: British Institute of Traffic Education ResearchDEO: District Education OfficerDNFE: Directorate of Non Formal EducationDRSC: District Road Safety CommitteeDSE Directorate of Secondary EducationMOE: Ministry of EducationNCTB: National Curriculum Textbook BoardNGO: Non Governmental OrganisationNRSC: National Road Safety CouncilPMED: Primary and Mass Education Directorate, Ministry of EducationPTI: Primary Training InstituteRSS: Road Safety Secretariat

education and publicity in bangladesh · ministry of communications roads and railways division...

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