BANGLADESH is facing two big issues: rising unemployment, especially among educated young people, and a major road safety problem. A recent World Bank report states that around 4.4 per cent of people in Bangladesh are unemployed, with many jobless people having higher degrees. At the same time, unsafe roads, worsening traffic, and unreliable public transportation are making daily life more challenging. The interim government can implement a unique idea to address both problems at once: hire educated, jobless youth for traffic control roles and set minimum education standards for professional drivers. This could not only create jobs but also make our roads safer and public transportation better.
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Why we need educated drivers
SETTING a minimum education level for drivers could improve safety on our roads. Data from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy shows that educated drivers are more likely to follow traffic rules, communicate better, and adapt to new technologies, such as GPS or digital payment systems (ITDP, 2023). Countries like Sweden have seen traffic violations drop by 20 per cent since they began requiring drivers in urban centres to have a certain level of education. If a driver can read and understand road signs, they are less likely to cause accidents. Even a 10 per cent reduction in accidents could save hundreds of lives each year in Bangladesh.
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Training as paid internships
TRAINING programmes in traffic control and driving could be designed as paid internships, giving jobless youth real experience while earning an income. By offering traffic and driver training as an internship, people could learn everything from traffic rules to handling emergencies. In Japan, for example, they started mandatory traffic training for drivers, and within five years, accidents dropped by 40 per cent (Japan Transport Safety Board, 2024). If Bangladesh introduced similar programmes, we could create safer roads and provide stable job opportunities for educated youth who need it most.
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How this helps public transport
EDUCATED drivers and traffic controllers would mean a better, safer public transportation system. In India, where cities have made education mandatory for traffic controllers, traffic congestion dropped by 15 per cent, and fewer accidents happened at busy intersections (World Bank Urban Mobility, 2023). Imagine buses and rickshaws running on time, with trained drivers following the rules and keeping traffic smooth. With an improved public transport system, more people might choose it as their preferred option, helping to reduce traffic and pollution.
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Economic impact: investing in people
WHEN a country invests in educating and training people for specific jobs, it鈥檚 called 鈥榟uman capital investment.鈥� Studies show that when people are more educated and skilled, they are more productive and make better decisions. In Bangladesh鈥檚 case, the government could save millions in health costs by reducing accidents and making traffic flow better, while also giving people jobs. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) reports that investing in road safety has saved many countries millions each year due to fewer accidents and reduced healthcare costs (Asian Development Bank, 2024).
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Training existing workers
IT IS not only about hiring new people; current drivers and traffic controllers should get the chance to improve their skills too. Countries like Singapore have programmes that retrain existing drivers, which has led to better job satisfaction and improved service (Land Transport Authority Singapore, 2023). With proper training, even experienced drivers can learn new technologies and safety practices, making everyone on the road safer.
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Solution for Bangladesh鈥檚 future
EMPLOYING educated youth in traffic control and driving is a powerful way to tackle two big problems at once. Imagine a Bangladesh where road accidents are fewer, public transportation is more reliable, and educated youth have meaningful jobs. This aligns with the country鈥檚 future goals of economic growth and safer cities for everyone.
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Mostafizur Rahman is a research officer in the economics department in the North South University.
