Govt to reinforce ban on three-wheelers, slow-moving vehicles on highways

The government has decided to reinforce its three-year-old ban on three-wheelers and slow-moving vehicles on highways across the country to avoid fatal road accidents.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader made the announcement during the 42nd meeting of the Road Transport Advisory Council (RTAC) held at the Secretariat Monday afternoon.

The meeting also decided to take effective measures to strictly control the plying of human hauliers, three-wheelers and other slow vehicles on the highways, he said.

A committee, headed by Road Transport and Highways Division Additional Secretary Abdul Malek, has been formed to formulate the necessary rules to ban the plying of these vehicles on highways.

The committee has been asked to submit its report by September 20.

The RTAC comprises concerned government officials, representatives from transport owner and worker bodies and experts, and works to restore discipline in the transport sector.

After Monday’s meeting, Quader told reporters: “The ban will be strictly enforced from now on as these vehicles mostly cause the accidents on the highways.”

The government in August 2015 had banned three-wheelers and slow-moving vehicles on highways. But the ban was not implemented effectively as most of the road accidents over the past few years saw involvement of such vehicles and heavy ones.

Different quarters also said that the ban was not effective due to lack of monitoring by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and the highway police.

In the past week, nearly 100 people died and scores injured in numerous road accidents on different roads and highways around the country.

And since the beginning of this year, several hundreds of people were killed in road crashes.

RTAC decisions

The RTAC on Monday also decided to implement a modern public transport system in the capital as envisaged by late Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Anisul Huq.

Minister Obaidul Quader said Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon was given the responsibility of implementing the plan.

The other decisions include – 

- Fixing the highest speed limit on highways at 80 kilometres per hour

- Writing to the Commerce Ministry requesting a halt in import of three-wheelers and slow vehicles and import of spare parts of human hauliers

- Forming of a Regional Transport Committee in each region to ensure road safety

- Including transport in the industrial sector

- Continuing the ongoing BRTA drive against unfit vehicles and removing illegal angles, hooks and bumpers

- Building new restrooms for the drivers and their assistants and passengers shades along different highways following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directives

- Removing the current contractual payment system for city bus drivers

- Ensuring facelift of all buses plying the Dhaka streets by September 30

- Asking BRTA and Buet, who are working to fix the economic lifespan of buses, trucks and other public transport, to submit their report soon

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, State Minister for Rural Development and Co-operatives Division Md Mashiur Rahman Ranga and Inspector General of Police Mohammad Javed Patwary were also present at the meeting.