Traffic law needs to be amended

Referring to traffic mismanagement and increase in road accidents, Law Commission Chairman and former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque yesterday stressed the need for bringing a change to the traffic law.

“People are losing their legs, hands and heads [in road accidents]. A civilized country cannot run in this manner. For this reason, law needs to be changed. Its [law] enforcement too,” he said.

Justice Khairul Haque was talking to reporters after a meeting with Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain at his Supreme Court office yesterday.

At the meeting, they discussed traffic law, commercial court, commercial dispute and arbitration law.

Law Commission Member Justice ATM Fazle Kabir was also present at the meeting.

Justice Khairul Haque said, “I feel the traffic law needs to be changed. If the people of the country feel so, it will be changed. If they do not, it will not happen. People will continue to die…”

“If anybody drives a car without a driving licence, his or her maximum punishment is four months' simple imprisonment with a fine of Tk 400. If the penalty is so simple, nobody will be interested in collecting driving licences,” he said. Justice Khairul said proper enforcement of law and change of attitude are needed along with the increasing of the punishment for the drivers responsible for accidents.

“Son of a transport owner may die tomorrow. Even, the son of a judge who releases a driver after fining Tk 400 may die in a road accident. Therefore, I feel that bringing a change to the law is seriously needed,” he said.