Ex-minister Shajahan heading panel to bring order to roads

The government has made a committee in a bid to bring back order to roads, with transport workers’ leader and former shipping minister Shajahan Khan as its chief.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 17 Feb 2019, 01:18 PM
Updated : 17 Feb 2019, 01:50 PM

Another committee headed by Home Minster Asaduzzman Khan Kamal has been formed to find out “realistic” solution to issues raised by transport owners and workers about the Road Transport Act 2018. 

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader announced the committees after a meeting of the National Road Safety Council at BRTA offices in Dhaka’s Banani on Sunday.

“It’s not that we will be behind the others when the issue is order on roads. It’s true there are some problems in the transport sector. I believe we will overcome the crises in the sector with everyone’s help,” Quader said.  

Last week, he described road accidents as the “biggest concern” despite infrastructural development in past few years. He also hinted at calling road safety council meeting to form new committees.

Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation Executive President Shajahan has Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association President Mashiur Rahman Ranga in the committee as a member.

The Jatiya Party secretary general, who served the last government as the state minister for local government and cooperatives, is currently the chief whip of the official opposition in parliament.    

Transport owners’ association Secretary General Khandaker Enayet Ullah, workers’ federation General Secretary Osman Ali, columnist Syed Abul Maksud, and Nirapad Sarak Chai Andolan Chairman Ilias Kanchan are also in the committee.

The others are two representatives of truck and covered-van owners and workers, and one each of BRTA, NGO BRAC, BUET’s Accident Research Institute, and Road Transport and Highways Division, deputy inspector general of Highway Police, deputy inspector general of police (operations) and an additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.  

The committee will submit a report within 14 work days, according to Quader.

The chaotic transport sector and road accident issue came to fore after deaths of two college students in Dhaka triggered student movement for road safety measures in July last year.

Following the protesters’ demands, the government passed the long-awaited Road Transport Act, but the transport workers have objected to several parts of the law and are demanding they be cancelled.

The demands include making all offences under the Road Transport Act bailable, the cancellation of the provision that allows a worker to be fined Tk 500,000 for involvement in a road crash, and lowering minimum educational qualification required for obtaining driving licences from class VIII to class V. 

Transport strike for these demands created public sufferings across Bangladesh in October last year. Many blamed the presence of transport owners and workers’ leaders in the government for the failure to bring order to the transport sector.

Now, Home Minister Kamal will head a three-member committee to find solution to issues related to the transporters’ demands.

Law Minister Anisul Huq and Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan are the members. 

They will review the stakeholders’ demands for a “realistic” solution, Quader said.