‘Don’t give in to evil forces’
The government should not bow down to any “evil force”, which is obstructing the implementation of road transport act, said road safety crusader Ilias Kanchan yesterday.
“If the government relaxes the law under pressure from any such group, the country and its people will lose. That’s why legal actions have to be taken against those who are creating disorder to prevent the law,” he said.
Ilias, founder of Nirapad Sarak Chai (We Demand Safe Roads), was speaking at a press conference at Jatiya Press Club. The platform organised the event, marking its 26th founding anniversary.
Citing the recent lack of order in transport sector, the actor-turned-road safety campaigner alleged that an evil force is misguiding transport workers and creating the unrest. They do not even know about the law properly, he added.
Ilias said the government introduced this law after consulting with different stakeholders. It also kept the drivers in mind and made sure to preserve their rights, but a section of them are now holding the country’s people hostage in the name of strike, he added.
Terming himself just a campaigner for road safety, he alleged that transport workers had burnt his effigy intentionally.
“I am no one to introduce a law and my intention is not to hurt any group but to aware and save people from road accidents,” said Ilias, who has been carrying the rigorous campaign for road safety since the tragic demise of his wife, Jahanara Kanchan, in a road crash in 1993.
Welcoming people’s support towards the new law, he said, “Though you have been suffering from the unrest created by some transport workers, your support has made it possible to implement the law. I think this suffering is temporary and you will be benefitted in the long run.”
Ilias urged the government to take necessary steps to implement the law properly.
On November 1, transport owners and workers across the country started to put more pressure on the government to amend the newly enforced act, when it went into action.
The Bangladesh Truck-Covered-van Goods Transport Owner-Worker Unity Council also observed a strike in over 20 districts recently.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity yesterday identified 11 major challenges -- including inadequate licensed drivers, large number of unfit vehicles, illegal parking and extortion in transport sector -- in implementing the Road Transport Act 2018.
The passenger welfare association organised a roundtable at Jatiya Press Club in this regard.
In his written speech, the association’s secretary general Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury demanded immediate action from the authorities concerned to implement the law.
Comments