MUNIMA SULTANA
The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has set a target to train 100,000 professional drivers for both light and heavy transport in next five years.
Official sources said the BRTA, which initiated the basic driving training programme in 1975, has so far trained 95,610 people, including 6,066 women.
But, officials said the BRTA's capacity to train professional drivers have gradually increased by setting up four training institutes in Tejgaon, Gazipur, Tongi and Jhenaidah and 23 centres in different parts of the country in the last couples of years.
"On average, 300 drivers are trained in a year now," said Mohammad Moshiuzzaman, manager of Gazipur training institute.
He also said some 43 active training cars, including costly vehicles, have been equipped in all institutes and centres to train the drivers under seven types of residential and nonresidential courses.
During a visit to Gazipur IT, it has been found that the institute has been equipped with modern classroom facilities and apparatus, including a stimulator recently, to train drivers on basic traditional automobiles.
It has yet to be equipped with the hybrid and electric technical machinery for the trainers.
The manager, however, said the drivers are given some idea and theoretical knowledge on hybrid and EV in the classes. Being the state-owned corporation, the BRTC supports the government agencies and officials for achieving driving skills, officials said.
As the BRTC has taken different steps to make its activities efficient, it has also launched a project of training trainers, they also said.
The officials further said 469 trainers have already been given training.
It has taken projects to train 100,000 drivers in the next five years and provide training to 1,410 trainers under Skill for Employment Investment Programme (SEIP).
smunima@yahoo.com
