Road transport act to be placed before cabinet next week

Secretariat Correspondent: The long-awaited “Road Transport Act” will be placed before the next week’s cabinet meeting for final approval.

Md Abu Naser, public relations officer at the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, provided the information on Wednesday.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the long-awaited road transport act will be placed before the next week’s cabinet meeting for approval upon the directives of the Prime Minister, he said.

The cabinet meeting will be held next Monday with Prime Minsiter Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Once the law is enacted, the ministry will be able to take strict actions to bring discipline in the transport sector and to curb road accidents and traffic congestion, Quader, also the general secretary of ruling Awami League.

Upon approval from the cabinet, the draft act was sent to the law ministry, which has already completed the vetting of the draft law, he said adding that it is now being sent to the ministry of road and transport.

According to the Road Transport Act 2017, it requires education of up to at least eighth grade for getting a driving licence and up to fifth grade to work as a helper. Penalties ranging from one to three months' jail and Tk 5,000 – Tk 35,000 fine for being intoxicated or using mobile phone while driving and driving on the wrong side of the road have also been imposed. The draft law includes harsher punishments for many other driving offences.


risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 1, 2018/Hasan/AI