Clicky
National, Front Page

‘Road Transport Act’ needs fast implementation


Published : 27 Aug 2019 09:16 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 08:26 PM

Immediate implementation of ‘Road Transport Act’ is needed to ensure discipline on roads and highways. According to experts, despite widespread road safety movement nationwide, the country’s roads and highways have continued witnessing deadly accidents claiming lives of people and leaving scores of others injured.

The ruling Awami League government is committed to checking reckless driving on roads and highways to stop brutal road accidents. Almost all the drivers, transport owners and workers, as experts say, have now become more desperate on roads and highways through violation of laws. Earlier on September 19, the Road Transport Bill, 2018 was passed in the parliament keeping a provision of a maximum five years in jail and Taka 5 lakh fine or both for causing severe injury or death of any person by reckless driving.

The new transport law would be enacted through replacing the existing Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1983. The proposed act also has a provision of minimum six months and a maximum of two years imprisonment and minimum Taka one lakh and maximum Taka 5 lakh fine for using fake driving licenses. The bill contains 14 sections and 126 articles while the existing laws contain 12 sections and 177 articles.

The Cabinet on August 6 approved the proposed bill keeping maximum punishment of five years’ imprisonment for causing death to a person by reckless driving. But the proposed bill is strongly criticised by road safety campaigners who termed the punishment insufficient to end anarchy on the roads. On the other hand, the Roads and Highway authorities could not prepare any regulation to implement the new laws even 11 months after enactment of the laws. Six months ago, a three-member committee headed by the Minister for Home Affairs was also formed in this regard. Two other members of the committee are the ministers for Law and Railway. But the committee could not make any progress and did not submit any report on it.

However, Home Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at a meeting told reporters that he along with the ministers for Law and Railway had sat at a meeting and discussed it. He also said, they need more time for a better solution and will submit their opinion soon. Law minister Anisul Huq, another member of the committee, also said they were still talking to different stakeholders and make an announcement soon through the consent of all the stakeholders.

Professor Dr Shamsul Huq of the Civil Engineering Department at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said, the implementation of the laws is most important to bring discipline to the roads and highways sector. Until and unless the laws are implemented, it would be hard to bring the transport owners and employees under control as well as to bring discipline in the sector. Obaidul Quader, Minister for Road, Transport and Bridges, said he also had a meeting with the ministers for Law and Home for implementation of the laws, and expressed hope that it will be implemented soon.