Comprehensive road law to be passed soon: home minister

A comprehensive road law will be passed in parliament soon to reduce the number of deaths in road accidents, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan says, reports bdnews24.com.

He said the new law analyses the responsibilities of drivers, assistants, transport owners, and transport agencies. It clarifies who will be responsible for what and what kind of penalties will be imposed for different types of negligence.

"We want to ensure that no more lives are lost in accidents," he said.

He spoke at the biennial national rally of Nirapad Sarak Chai or We Demand Safe Roads, at the National Theatre Hall in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, on Saturday.

The minister said, "According to BRTA (Bangladesh Road Transport Authority) data, 14 people die every day due to road accidents. Our records show that in 2023, there were 5,495 road accidents resulting in approximately 5,024 deaths and a similar number of injuries."

Previously, the 'Road Transport Act-2018' was passed in parliament, providing a maximum of five years' imprisonment for accidents caused by reckless driving.

This was in the backdrop of student protests demanding safer roads, following which the government took initiative to draft the law, increasing the punishment for accidents causing death to two years.