Rejoinder, our reply

Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) has issued a rejoinder against a report headlined “Lights were out during pile-ups” published in The Daily Star on Monday.

The rejoinder says there are 153 lights installed on the Bangabandhu Bridge and BBA puts half of the lights in use alternately, which is enough to light up the bridge. The system runs on automatic photo-cell system, turning the lights on when the sun goes down in the evening and off when the sun is up, it adds.

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“The first pile-up happened at around 6:30am and from video surveillance system it was found that lights were on at that time,” says the rejoinder, which includes dates and timing of the lights -- when those were on and off -- from the surveillance system, seeking to prove that the statement “all the 153 sodium lights were turned off” is not true.

It states: As per existing photo-cell system, the bridge lights automatically adjust on the basis of availability of light. The power supply of the bridge area is provided by Sirajganj Pally Biddut Samity which reported no load-shedding on the bridge area during the pile-ups, says the rejoinder. “So all the lights were off during the pile-ups as alleged in your paper is baseless and misleading. The accident happened as vehicles hit one after another from behind due to reckless driving amid dense fog.”

It says that on completion of primary rescue operation BBA took precautionary measure and opened only 2 lanes (one for bus and one for truck) among the six lanes of the toll plaza at the two end of the bridge to slow down the vehicles. “BBA officials were also physically present at the east and west toll plaza at that moment, alerted all drivers to move slowly and cautiously on the bridge as dense fog obstructed visibility. So the claim of The Daily Star 'They could at least slow down the release of vehicles from the toll plazas and did not alert drivers about the condition either' is not  true.”

It mentions that BBA did not set up any contraflow (lane reversal) and that the contraflow caused second pile-up is not true.

It says The Daily Star report mentions that “BBA failed to act on January 9 and use the manpower and equipment” but BBA worked for rescue operation efficiently, using 3 wreckers and over 10 ambulances and pick-ups. More than 30 people of traffic, petrol and rescue departments of BBA were engaged in that operation along with teams of police stations at east and west ends, and 98 Army Composite Bridge.

BBA has been maintaining the bridge with utmost sincerity, claims the rejoinder.

OUR REPLY

The Daily Star talked to a number of drivers, passengers and police personnel on the pile-up scenes who informed that the lights were off.

BBA claim lights were on when the first pile-up occurred at 6:30am but were turned off at 7:02:07am. If automatic photo-cell works, there should be certain level of light that reflected on the sodium lights and turned them off. All, including BBA officials present on the scenes said there was thick fog which drastically reduced visibility. Second pile-up occurred at 9:45am amid the same condition. Thick fog was cleared and the sun appeared only after 10:30am that day.

If technology functioned properly, lights should not have been turned off as weather condition at 6:30am and at 7:02am was the same. It is not understandable how the lights were on at 6:30am but were turned off after 32 minutes when dense fog continued till much later.

BBA didn't provide any proof to support its claim. During telephonic conversation with The Daily Star on Monday, BBA executive engineer at the bridge said the lights were on but that could not be seen in the video footage because of heavy fog. He said he would send footage as proof but he didn't. Contacted on Thursday, he said he would send them later. Till late last night the promised footage did not arrive.

BBA claimed having taken all measures after the first pile-up but it didn't say why it did not turn on all lights to improve visibility in dense fog.

On the day of pile-ups, met office forecasted moderate to heavy fog in river basins from midnight to till 10am-11am in the morning during which time visibility would be very low. Considering this forecast, BBA could take prior measures to check accidents on the bridge and its approach roads where a total of six accidents happened on that day.

How could a second pile-up occur within hours of the first? This, experts say, is unprecedented. It would not have happened had effective measures been taken. Even if measures were taken, these proved inadequate and useless in checking accidents.

It claimed half of the sodium lights are enough for lighting the bridge but experts did not accept it. If half the lights are enough, then why so many lights have been placed in the first place? Who has concluded that half lights are enough? Is it an expert opinion? Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury, who was involved in building the bridge, has said all lights should be used for proper illumination of the bridge, especially in winter.

Understanding the reality, BBA started using all the lights a few days after the pile-ups.