Staff Reporter:

With the directive of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Nazrul Islam, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Sirajganj Circle in collaboration with district administration conducted drives at the roundabout of the Jamuna Bridge western side on the Dhaka-North Bengal highway on Sunday and the day before with the aim to take legal action against unauthorized and unfit vehicles.

In the first day of mobile court on Sunday, a team of BRTA officials led by Pragya Labani Binte Alam Setu, Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate of Sirajganj district administration imposed fine at Tk 12,000 against some unfit vehicles and lodged three separate cases for violating traffic rules.

In the second day of the drive on Monday, the mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Liakat Ali Khan Himel and Mohsin Khandaker imposed fine at Tk 17,000 and filed two cases for flouting traffic rules.

According to the sources, BRTA issued a notification on June last determining the economic life (the period during which it is most cost-effective to operate, considering factors like depreciation, maintenance and operational costs) of buses and trucks. In this field, the economic life for buses and minibuses was set at 20 years and 25 years for freight vehicles like trucks and covered vans.

BRTA also said that, the vehicles, which lifetime has already been expired, will not be allowed to ply on the roads and highways from July 1. As a part of the decision, the mentioned organization started a nationwide drive as a campaign from Sunday.

During the drive, BRTA Motor Vehicle Inspector Md Hafizul Islam told The Daily Sky that, “No vehicle will be spared, if traffic rules violate. Action would be taken by identifying the vehicles that are not fit for plying on the roads and highways. We are trying to remove all modes of unfit vehicles from the roads to avert accidents and ensure safety of commuters, and transports workers and drivers. Not only that, we will take drastic action against unlicensed and unauthorized vehicles as well as drivers, who have no licences.”

It is to be mentioned that, over 40,000 CNG driven auto-rickshaws have been playing randomly on different roads and highways in nine upazilas of Sirajganj district for long showing thumb to the traffic rules. According to the sources of BRTA Sirajganj Circle office, only 4010 CNG-driven auto-rickshaws took licences once upon a time in the last 17 years. Most of these CNGs’ licenses have already been expired, but those have not yet been renewed as per rules. As a result, those vehicles have been playing on roads and even highway illegally for long time after managing the concerned traffic police and other respective officials through their organizations like CNG Owners and Drivers Association.

Seeking anonymity, some CNG run auto-rickshaws’ drivers said, “We pay Tk 500 or in some cases at Tk 300 to our association through their recruited agents for keeping our vehicles on operation. The association leaders basically manage the concerned officials and traffic department in which they don’t disturb us. Due to such process and unwritten directives of the association leaders, vehicle owners and drivers don’t show interest to take legal licences against their vehicles. Not only that, no one is eager to check their vehicles’ fitness.”

BRTA Motor Vehicle Inspector Md Hafizul Islam said that, “This time, we are determined to conduct drive regularly against unauthorized vehicles to ensure discipline on roads. This is why, vehicle owners should take registration and renew the old registration on time to avert hassle.”