Govt focusing on rail and river transport

Road Transport and Bridges Division Secretary Nazrul Islam yesterday emphasised finding ways to tackle challenges in achieving the government’s goals towards becoming a middle income country within 2021 and developed country within 2041.

The secretary was speaking at a national workshop on “Developing Clean and Efficient Vehicle Policy for Bangladesh” at a city hotel. UN Environment, Clear Air Asia, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), and Roads and Highways Department (RHD) jointly organised the programme.

“We are working on carbon emission, air pollution, and traffic congestion issues and such workshop will help the government in shaping policies,” Nazrul said.

He said the government is working to build a comprehensive transport network and giving emphasis on rail and river transport.

The ministry has already directed BRTA to devise a way to register electric-run vehicles, and a team has already visited India in this regard, he said.

RHD Chief Engineer Ebne Alam Hasan, Kathleen Dematera of Clean Air Asia, BRTA director (operation) Sitangshu Sekhar Biswas and RHD Superintendent Engineer Noor E Alam, also spoke the programme.