Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader addressing the 11th board meeting of Dhaka Road Transport Coordination Authority at Nagar Bhaban in the city on Wednesday — Focus Bangla The much-awaited 'Road Transport Bill' will be placed before Jatiya Sangsad (JS) on Sunday, road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader said on Wednesday.
"I will table the Road Transport Bill, 2018 in parliament on Sunday," he told reporters after the 11th board meeting of the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) at Nagar Bhaban of the Dhaka South City Corporation.
"I hope it (bill) will be approved by parliament during a brief session in October after its scrutiny by the standing committee on the road transport and bridges ministry," he said.
The placement of the bill comes following a nationwide teen protests, triggered after a speeding bus killed two college students on July 29 near the Kurmitola general hospital in Dhaka.
If passed into a law, it will replace the existing Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1983.
The new draft law proposes a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a Tk 500,000 fine for fatal road accidents.
Under the draft law, a convict will get the maximum punishment if he or she causes death or severe injury by means of reckless driving or negligence in driving. These offences are also not bailable.
Road safety advocates and experts demanded that the provision of capital punishment be included in the new law.
The new law has fixed the minimum age and academic qualification for transport operators, one must pass Class 8 to be a driver, and Class 5 to be a driver's assistant.
One must also be 18 years of age for normal driving licence, and 21 for professional driving licence.
The coordination agency's meeting took some other decisions, including setting up of a bus terminal on seven acres of land at Purbachal in Dhaka, the compulsory use of helmets by bike riders and co-passengers and strict enforcement of gate-lock bus services on different routes.
It also discussed on the implementation of the decisions taken in the previous meeting.
Responding to a question, Mr Quader said the next national polls will be held as per the constitution.
"Elections will be held as per the provision of the constitution. The government along with the people will resist if there is any violence," he said.
High officials of different ministries and departments were present.
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