‘We want discipline, not to impose fines’

Police has no intentions of realising fines if there is discipline on the roads, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Shafiqul Islam said yesterday.

“Traffic division realises Tk 6 to 7 crore monthly for violation of traffic rules (in Dhaka). It is a minimal amount and the government has no need of such amount of money,” he said.

The commissioner was speaking at the inaugural of fortnightly traffic awareness programmes at Rajarbagh Police Lines in the capital.

“After taking charge, I told traffic officials that there is no need to set a [monthly] target of realising fines,” the police chief said.

Highlighting suffering of victims of road accidents, the commissioner said, “Can you imagine a man dies on the road due to your or our fault, and leaves his little children in a life of uncertainty? There will be no breadwinner who can support the family.”

“People will not tolerate for long that unfit drivers plying vehicles without fitness, and hurting our children one after another,” he said.

“If we fail to bring discipline, our children, who are sitting in front of us, will unitedly drive us out from the road. You cannot go to the street and we will not be able to discharge our duties,” he said drawing attention of the transport leaders and workers.  

The commissioner said, “You will not find a single family who have not lost at least one of their relative in such accidents. How long will we tolerate the chaotic situation?”.

“This is the last chance to bring discipline to the roads,” he said, urging all to follow traffic rules. 

About implementation of the new Road Transport Act 2018, the commissioner said even continuous violators will be given warning once or twice and made aware of the law. Then they will be fined for traffic rule violations.

The commissioner said only vehicles broken down on-street, remained unattended by drivers for a long time and plying the streets without documents would be dumped by wrecker.

He also urged drivers not to drop off passengers in the middle of the roads, leaving them susceptible to accidents.

At the programme, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, “We don’t want to obey the law. We think our honour is hurt if we obey the law. Actually, obeying law is the honourable thing to do.”

There are some systematic problems in implementing the law that were discussed during Wednesday night’s discussion with transport leaders and workers, he said, adding that their nine-point demand will be forwarded to  the road transport and bridges minister.

At the programme, Inspector General of Police Mohammad  Javed Patwary said all including  drivers and pedestrians have a tendency of practicing a culture of violating traffic rules. “We all have to be aware about traffic rules and follow it,” he said.

Transport owners, workers, students of different educational institutions and top  police officials were present in the awareness-raising programme, that  will continue till December 5.

QUADER ASSURES OF NO EXCESSIVE ENFORCEMENT

Meanwhile, at another programme in the city, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader assured that there will be no exaggeration in enforcing the new law to bring normalcy in the transport sector.

“The transport strike is no more. There is no reason to disrupt vehicular movement, as the problem has been settled through discussion. No problems will arise as exaggeration will be avoided in enforcing the law,” Quader said.

Quader came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after a meeting of the cultural sub-committee of Awami League’s 21st national council preparation committee.

Commuters suffered immensely as owners and workers of bus, minibus and human hauliers refrained from plying their vehicles protesting the enforcement of the Road Transport Act 2018 in last couple of days.

About the law, Quader said, “We have adopted policies in light of the reality. We will assess if anything seems inconsistent in implementing the law.”

The new law having hefty amount of fine and harsher punishment came into effect on November 1.