Black, tinted glasses on microbus banned

The government has banned the use of black or tinted glasses on microbuses starting from May 10 in view of a recent rise in abductions in which such vehicles were used.

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the order on Wednesday, ministry spokesperson Sharif Mahmud told bdnews24.com.

The order said tinted, black or coloured glasses would not be allowed on the windshields and side windows or rear window of any microbus.

Violation of the order would invite legal measures, it said.

Law enforcers were unable to see crime being committed or identify criminals in such vehicle because of the coloured or tinted glasses, the order stated.

Criminals had, of late, been using vehicles with such to their advantage.

State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had earlier on Wednesday hinted at such ban.

Asked why only microbus, he said, “At least 12 people can sit in a microbus while private car or other small vehicle can’t accommodate that many people. That’s why microbus is used in most cases of abduction.”

But the government would gradually ban coloured glasses on all vehicles, he said.

On Apr 16, a microbus was used to abduct environmental lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan’s husband Abu Bakar Siddique from Narayanganj. He was freed nearly 35 hours later.

On Sunday, Narayanganj City Corporation Councillor Nazrul Islam and his four aides were abducted by unknown miscreants. That very day, the district’s senior lawyer, Chandan Kumar Sarker, and his driver ‘Ibrahim’ also went missing.

Six bodies including those of Nazrul and Sarker were found floating on the Shitalakhya river at the district’s Bandar Upazila on Wednesday.

More CC cameras to prevent abduction