Govt considering transport workers’ demands: Quader

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said the government is looking into whether the demands of transport workers, seeking amendment to the Road Transport Act-2018, can be met by formulating rules.

“Although the law has already been formulated, there may be rules and sub-rules [of the act]. We will look into adjustments [considering transport workers’ demands] by formulating rules and sub-rules,” Quader said at a press briefing at his secretariat office.

The Jatiya Sangsad in September last year passed the law following unprecedented student protests for safe roads after two college students were killed by a bus on Dhaka’s Airport Road on July 29.

However, the government, as per requirement of the law, did not issue a gazette notification determining when the law will come into effect.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation observed a two-day strike on October 28-29 last year demanding changes to the law. Their demands include revoking the Tk 5 lakh fine for causing road accidents, making all accident-related cases bailable, and reducing the mandatory educational qualification from eighth grade to fifth grade for getting a driving licence.

Responding to a question yesterday, Quader said he had already talked to the law minister and asked him to consider whether any “adjustment” can be made.

“I hope the law minister will sit with the home minister soon. We will then go for implementation [of the act],” he said.

Asked whether the government is being held hostage by transport owners and workers, Quader responded in the negative. He added that the government did not control transport workers’ protests strictly, rather tried to resolve the problem through discussion.

On April 28, a committee headed by former shipping minister Shajahan Khan submitted its report on preventing road accidents and bringing discipline in the road transport sector to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

But no visible step has been taken to implement their recommendations yet.

Asked about it, Quader said his ministry, not the PM’s office, will implement those. “I have received the report and I’m going through it. I will call a meeting before going to implement them,” he added.