Communications Secretary Dr Md Mahbubur Rahman yesterday said the government is amending the motor vehicle ordinance to increase the levels punishment in road accident-related cases both in fines and jail terms.
After a review meeting on the city's traffic jam and its remedy at the communications ministry, he told reporters that one month's jail term will be increased to six month for road accidents.
After making an amendment to the motor vehicle ordinance, fine of Tk 100 will be Tk 500, Tk 500 will be increased to Tk 1000 and Tk 1000 to Tk 5000 in violation of traffic rules, he added.
The meeting also decided to introduce modern signalling system, construction of bus bays and removal of old vehicles from roads.
The secretary further said nobody will be allowed to keep dustbin and construction materials on the roads.
The meeting also discussed formulation of a policy regarding parking of vehicles. It decided to provide high security licences for drivers, identify traffic jam-prone points and specify parking areas.
Sources said there are around 400 intersections in the city. Of them, only 69 have automated traffic signals. However, many of those remained out of order. Sometimes drivers violate signal while sometime police ignore it and operate through manual system.
The communications secretary told reporters that a project will be taken to install automated traffic signals at all intersections. “If the whole world can function through automated traffic signals why will not we,” Dr Rahman said.
Representatives of Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) told the meeting that construction of five bus bays at Banani, Kakali, Mohakhali, on road adjacent to Public Service Commission and at Bangla Motor will be completed this month.
The meeting was also informed that Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) will submit a work plan to remove traffic jam after identifying the jam-prone points.
DMP Commissioner Naim Ahmed, Additional Secretary to communications ministry Shafiul Alam, BRTA Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose, BRTC Chairman Safij Uddin Ahmed, Bangladesh Railway Director General Belayet Hossain, Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways Department Nihar Mia and Rajuk member IEM Golam Kibria were also present at the meeting.