HC asks BRTA, IGP to submit reports

The High Court Division in a suo moto orders Wednesday directed the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and the inspector general of police to submit by April 30 separate reports on drivers without licences and the number of registered vehicles as well as unfit motorized transports on the country’s roads.
A vacation bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam also summoned BRTA’s road safety director Sk. Md. Mahbub-E-Rabbani to explain in person at a hearing on April 30 how many applications for renewing licences were pending and also why they were not renewed.
The court in a ruling also directed the secretaries of the ministries of home and roads and bridges, the BRTA chairman, Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s deputy commissioners (traffic), North and South, and the BRTA director for road safety to explain in three weeks why their inaction and failure to put unfit and unregistered vehicles off the roads and drivers without licencess off the wheels would not be declared illegal.
The respondents were also asked to explain why they would not be directed to enforce traffic rules to protect citizens’ fundamental right to life as guaranteed by the Constitution in Article 32.
BRTA told New Age that until February, 38.85 lakh registered vehicles were on the roads across the country and that 20.35 lakh drivers with valid licences were on the wheels.
BRTA also said that 71,218 vehicles did not renew the registration in last 10 years or more.
It said that until March 29, 2018, applications of government departments including the police, the ministries and projects for renewal of 3,740 motor vehicles were pending with BRTA.
It also said that applications for renewal of 52,670 privately owned motor vehicles were also pending with BRTA.
The court issued the order in the backdrop of students taking to the street demanding road safety after 11 students were killed by speeding vehicles since March 19. 
On March 19, Bangladesh University of Professionals student Abrar Ahmed Chowdhury was killed by a speeding bus of Suprabhat Paribahan on the Zebra Crossing on the Progati Sarani in the capital.
School children’s movement for road safety in July last year was prompted by the killing Shaheed Ramiz Uddin Cantonment College’s two students and injuring 12 more by a speeding bus of Jabal-e-Nur that ploughed through a crowd at Kurmitola in the capital.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net