Policy ahead to control motorcycle movement on highways: Quader, Obaidul Quader, the minister of road transportation and bridges, announced today that the government is developing a strategy to regulate motorcycle traffic on the nation’s highways.
Policy ahead to control motorcycle movement on highways: Quader
“Emphasis should be given on controlling the motorcycle on the highways rather than restricting those….a policy is being prepared,” he told reporters after attending the 29th meeting of the National Road Safety Council at Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) headquarters here.
In response to a query on careful observation on the roadways, Quader stated: “We cannot complete it with such precision due to a manpower shortage. We are still keeping an eye on things. It is in progress.” He claimed that although the concerned authorities are making every effort to achieve this goal, the BRTA and Highway Police have not increased their workforce to keep up with the increasing pressure of traffic on the highways.
“We have decided to monitor strictly the movement of auto-rickshaws and easy-bike on the Dhaka-Aricha, Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Tangail, Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chattogram highways. As there is a directive of the High Court, the three-wheelers will not be able to run on the highways. That’s why we will closely monitor the five highways,” he said.
The minister mentioned that people will be able to apply for driving licenses online starting tomorrow, staying in the comfort of their own homes. To take part in the examinations, he continued, “They must visit the BRTA headquarters once.” Quader noted that the need for improved road safety is now essential and announced that the government would pursue a proposal to do so with World Bank funding.
The Development Project Proposal (DPP) of the scheme has already been prepared and it will be presented at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) soon, he said. Quader, also the Awami League General Secretary, urged media to refrain from publishing the false reports on the Awami League.
The meeting was attended by the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) chairman Tazul Islam, the Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, AL presidium member Shajahan Khan, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Tapash, Road Transport Division Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, BRTA chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder, Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, and others.