Journalist Mizanur Rahman Khan speaking at a press conference titled "Slow implementation of Road Safety Law 2018: Despondency among people" organised by Road Safety Foundation at Dhaka Reporters Unity in the city on Saturday — FE Photo A rights platform has called for the government to quickly implement the Road Transport Act 2018 to help ensure road safety across the country.
Road Safety Foundation (RSF), a non-governmental agency, has made a plea to set up a state fund for the rehabilitation of road accident victims.
The platform, which works for road safety, came up with the call at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters' Unity in the capital on Saturday.
RSF chairman Prof Dr AI Mahbub Uddin, vice-chairman MS Siddiqui and senior journalist Mizanur Rahman Khan, among others, spoke at the event.
Saidur Rahman, executive director of the foundation, presented a keynote paper on the issue.
He said the government enacted the road transport law a year ago against the backdrop of a countrywide movement launched by students.
However, there is no visible progress in the implementation of the most-talked-about law, he added.
The keynoter identified an extortion racket as the key reason for chaos and anarchy in the sector.
"Even the five-point recommendation given by the prime minister last year has not been put into practice yet, thanks to the very syndicate."
Flouting law, Mr Rahman said, the racketeers continue with their job in the road transport sector to serve their parochial interests.
At least three craftiest strategies transport owners and workers' organisations adopt to extort, he said, adding that they collect more than Tk 20 million daily.
Besides, owners associations collect between Tk 0.2 million and Tk 2.5 million for launching new vehicle.
Even city buses pay almost Tk 10 million per day in the name of way bill, according to the foundation.
RSF criticised the omission of third-party insurance and introduction of the first-party scheme in the new law unlike the Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1983.
"The process, described in the new law, of forming and operating a trust fund for the rehabilitation of the victims would encourage extortion," the keynote said.
At the programme, Mr Siddiqui suggested following models of developed countries to operate the fund and adopt third-party insurance.
"Very few victims received compensation for poor implementation of the previous law," he said.
The new law too unfortunately limits the scope for compensation.
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