Updating Transport Papers: Govt caves in yet again, waives delay fine
Giving into pressure from transport associations, the government once again waived the fines for failing to update driving licences and vehicle documents on time.
The Road Transport and Highways Division yesterday issued a circular mentioning that motorists will enjoy the waiver until June 30 this year.
This is the second time the government has given the waiver this year.
Motorists have to pay fines for updating a vehicle's outdated fitness certificate, tax token, and route permit and for an expired driver's licence.
But defaulters have been enjoying the waiver for years, although, like yesterday's circular, the authorities often say they are offering such a waiver for the last time.
"Motorists have been enjoying the waiver for over a decade. Almost every time, it is mentioned that this will be the last time but I don't know when it will actually be the last time," an official of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) told this correspondent.
BRTA officials and road safety campaigners said owners and drivers of private vehicles usually have their papers updated, but that is not the case when it comes to commercial vehicles.
Motorists have been enjoying the waiver for over a decade. Almost every time, it is mentioned that this will be the last time but I don't know when it will actually be the last time
Many transport owners and drivers do not get documents updated on time as they wait for such periods of remission, as the government has been giving the waiver year after year.
As a result, vehicles without fitness clearance and drivers without valid licences continue to be on the roads, seriously compromising road safety, they also said.
The decision to give the waiver came at a time when the country saw a sharp rise in road crashes and deaths this year.
Road crashes and deaths respectively saw a 60.28 percent and 40.33 percent rise in the first three months of this year compared to the same period last year, according to BRTA data.
Around 6.17 lakh vehicles did not go through mandatory fitness tests till April 15 this year, BRTA data also revealed.
WAIVER GIVEN AGAIN
Following the demand of transport associations, the division on March 19 issued a circular waiving the fine for updating documents up to April 15, shows document.
But they once again sought a time extension, saying they could not update their document as the tenure was very short due to holidays, BRTA Chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder said last night.
"This is the last time we are going to give the waiver," he told The Daily Star last night.
He claimed they provided similar facilities during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Asked whether they were giving the waiver due to pressure from transport associations, he denied it. "Their demand is rational, as the time was short," he added.
Asked why they seek the waiver again and again, Mahbubur Rahman, organising secretary of Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association, said transport owners on many occasions cannot update papers due to a lack of money.
When asked, he denied the allegations of putting pressure on the authority to give the waiver.
"We also request our members to update their papers on time but some of them show negligence," he said.
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