Call for including stakeholders' view

The government should focus on building public awareness, strict enforcement of laws and coordination among the authorities concerned in the proposed Road Transport Act (RTA), 2015 for road safety, speakers told a policy dialogue yesterday at the capital's Brac Centre Inn.

The road transport sector, now run by the decades-old Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1983, does not cover all aspects of road safety issues and that's why the RTA, 2015 needs to be immediately enacted, they said.

The dialogue, titled "Legislative Initiative to Promote Road Safety'', was organised by the Advocacy for Social Change unit of Brac.

The government has already formulated a draft of the RTA, 2015 that includes some effective provisions about traffic management and road safety, said Hossain Zillur Rahman, executive chairman of Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC).

For example, the proposed law makes it mandatory for passengers to wear seat belts. It requires that workers be given appointment letters with fixed working hours and pedestrians' responsibilities and terminal management system be fixed, Zillur said presenting a paper on the draft.

On the other hand, more attention should be paid to important issues like road repairing, the process of accident recording and investigation, management of road side spaces and compensation of road accident victims, Zillur said.

Some speakers alleged that the draft was formulated without consulting with transport sector stakeholders.

Faruk Talukder Sohel, chairman of Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners' Association, said, "The authorities concerned are continuously changing the draft keeping us in the dark."

If the law is enacted in the existing form, it will pit transport owners and workers against law enforcers, he said.

Nirapad Sarak Chai Chairman Ilias Kanchan demanded inclusion of a  provision in the law for establishing trauma centres and keeping rescue teams available beside highways.

Addressing the function as chief guest, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader suggested the speakers prepare a set of recommendations and submit it to the ministry within a week.

The RTA, 2015 may be placed in the parliament in its next session to be held from on November 8, he said. 

About tailbacks on highways and streets, the minister said, "VIPs often violate traffic rule, aggravating traffic gridlock. Besides, portions of many roads are illegally occupied."

The minister also directed the bus owners not to charge additional fares.

Senior officials of Brac, representatives of different road safety organisations and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), also spoke at the dialogue.