The proposed amendment will give special emphasis on road safety. It would ban talking over mobile phone while driving. Wearing seatbelts for front seat passengers and drivers would also be made mandatory.

"When the ordinance was enacted in 1983 situation in the streets was different. Today public behaviour changed, condition of the streets altered. It is now imperative to modify the law to make it more sophisticated", said Abu Bakar Md Shahjahan, Chairman, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority.

"The penalties included in the current act seem too lenient, which is why drivers in the street do not care about the rules", he added.

Shahjahan said that some of the clause would be revised. "In the revised version tougher penalty will be introduced for offenders", he added.

BRTA formed a seven-member committee headed by Md Abdur Rauf, Director (Enforcement) to draft the revised version. The committee placed the recommendation to the Communication Ministry last week and currently awaiting approval.

Rauf said that safety issues are given priority because of the increasing number of road accidents. Seatbelt does not prevent or minimise the probability of accident but it helps reduce the impact.

Use of helmet while riding motorbikes will be strictly enforced. If violated, the offenders will be fined Tk. 500. Fine will be doubled if the same offence is repeated.

In 95% cases lack of helmet was the primary reason for fatalities in motorbike related accidents.

Violation of traffic signal is one of the main reasons for accidents in the city. Section 143 will be revised to take stern action against rough driving, speeding in intersection and traffic signal violation. Punishment under the revised version will be 3 months to one-year jail or two thousand taka fine.

Drivers involved in road accidents will be punished with 6 months imprisonment or one to three thousand taka fine. Punishment for second time offence is three years jail.

"This is the first time we are planning to bring owners under the jurisdiction of amended law. If the fitness of the vehicle is maintained properly road safety will increase. Owners will have to take responsibility of road safety too", Shahjahan said.

Metre tampering, changing the original feature of the vehicle, adding more seats to public buses will be punished under article 158 with six months jail or one to three thousand taka fine. For the same offence twice the punishment is cancellation of the registration.

Environmental issues are also given special attention. To improve the air quality, penalty for emission under the revised act will be one to three thousand taka. For same offence second time, fitness certificate of the vehicle and driving licence will be cancelled. Under section 150, current punishment is only Tk. 200.