Quader blames politicians for woes in transport, other sectors

Obaidul Quader has faulted politicians and the state of Bangladesh’s politics for the malaise plaguing all the sectors, especially transport.

“All the sectors in Bangladesh could run smoothly if our politics was on the right track. That’s where our main problem lies,” the road transport and bridges minister, who is also the general secretary of the ruling Awami League, said at a meeting at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Tuesday. 

The meeting was organised to exchange views with experts and intellectuals on prevention of road traffic accidents amidst intense criticism of the government for regular deaths in road crashes.

Quader says he feels for the victims.

“Don’t I watch news of accidents in TV in the night and newspapers in the morning? These also shake me. Aren’t the ministers human beings? Don’t these affect my life?” he asked.     

“Why are so many people dying every day?” he asked and blamed reckless motorcycle drivers and small vehicles on highways for the accidents.

The minister also blamed the politicians for the government’s failure to prevent the small vehicles from plying on highways.

“There are hundreds of Easy-bike (a small passenger carrier) factories in the country. I could not stop the source. I sent letters, held meetings, but he law was not implemented. I sometimes feel helpless,” he said.

Quader hailed the students for their recent movement for road safety measures and justice for casualties in road traffic accidents,. It forced the government to pass a law toughening punishment of errant transporters, among other measures. 

“I salute the teenagers who protested for safe roads. The law is finally going to see the light for their movement."

The government was preparing to pass the law in the next and last parliament session of its current tenure, Quader said.

He pledged to continue his efforts as minister to bring order to the transport sector.

“I haven’t given up. I will continue the fight until the end as long as I am in charge,” he said.