Motor vehicle deal to boost trade

The motor vehicle agreement among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) is likely to come into effect from December, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday.

"The implementation of the deal was being delayed due to some complications on the sides of Nepal and Bhutan. All the hurdles are about to be solved. We hope to start implementing the agreement in December," he told a function.

The deal was signed by the transport and communications ministers of BBIN in the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu in June last year.

The agreement is expected to boost trade, investment, transportation, and people-to-people contact among the countries.

They minister made the announcement while addressing a certificate giving event for vehicle drivers at the capital's Jatiya Press Club.

Around 200 drivers of private cars, buses and cargo vehicles were awarded certificates after being trained at the Driving and Mechanical Training Institute of Nirapad Sarak Chai (NSC), a non-profit voluntary organisation working for road safety.

Ilias Kanchan, NSC founder, chaired the function.

"In Bangladesh, anyone can become a vehicle driver without proper qualifications. Many vehicles are unfit and are being run by unskilled drivers. Consequently, passengers' safety is being endangered," mentioned Quader, reiterating that one of his major challenges was to maintain discipline in the transport sector.

"If we cannot reclaim roads and footpaths from the illegal occupiers, mega-projects like metro rail and flyover will bring no benefit to reducing traffic congestion in the capital,” he added.

About 15 lakh rickshaws run in the capital, while the number of registered rickshaws is around 50,000. Hundreds of unregistered three wheelers are also running, said the minister.

A topic on traffic rules should be added to the school textbooks to build awareness among children, he underscored.

Eminent writer and educationist Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed proposed formulating a rule making graduation-level qualification mandatory for being a bus driver and SSC-level for a truck driver.