Bikers getting reckless for flouting of directive

“Say no to 3 persons on a bike together”: TI Jafar Ullah

Ashraful Islam Joy:

Though, the government recently imposed a directive to enforce ‘No Helmet, No Fuel’ policy strongly across the country, inattention of the authorities concerned is keeping the Sirajganj bikers away from using of helmet that showing thumb to the high-ups’ order.

On the other hand, poor implementation of the directive is encouraging bikers in reckless driving without safety mate, using hydraulic horns, random parking at here and there etc. As a result, frustration looms among the conscious people of the area.

Earlier on May 16, the police headquarters directed all field-level police officers to implement the “No Helmet, No Fuel” policy to prevent death and injury from frequent road accidents.

The instruction was issued a day after as the Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader declared that filling stations would not supply fuel to motorcyclists without helmets.

But, it’s a painful matter that, the directive is being flouted tremendously by the bikers, pump owners and even traffic police due to unknown reasons.

Fuel oils especially petrol and octane are being supplied by the pump workers to the bikers, who have no helmet. The photo was taken by Raaz Mostafa on Sunday.

It was learnt through an investigation conducted by The Daily Sky that about 90 percent of the bikers in the town neglect to wear helmet on their heads during riding. Not only that, three to four adult  persons (youths and family members) use a bike together and cross different roads and intersections without helmet on the top of nose of the traffic police, though there is another directive not to use a bike for more than two persons together.

Seeking anonymity, a traffic constable told The Daily Sky that, “We face trouble to enforce the directive as most of the pump owners are influential. On the other hand, most of the bikers introduce themselves as leader and member of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) or Jubo League or even Awami League, while they are caught by police for non-wearing of helmet or any other fault. Sometime, phone calls are made by the top officials or top political leaders or journalists in favour of them requesting to spare them. In this situation, we have become bashful to implement the rule.”

The Daily Sky conducted a survey and talked over around 100 bikers, who neglect use of helmet. While talking, most of them said, “No one bars us, if we ride motorcycle without helmet or legal papers. As we get relief normally, why we will use helmet (?),” they throw counter question.

“If sometime police file any case against us due to fault of papers or any other reason, we pay fine and get rid again,” they added.

Rickshaw pullers and local commuters complained that, traffic police don’t take any legal action against the bikers even after violating of rules. Three to four persons get on a bike together without helmet most of the time and cross the road in presence of the traffic police. But, they act like they did not see anything.

During the spot visit to different fuel pumps including Messrs Park Filling Station in the town, The Daily Sky correspondent found that, bikers collect fuel oils especially petrol and octane without wearing helmet. Though, signboards written with “No Helmet, No Fuel” are hanged almost all filling pumps, the instruction is not being complied with anyone. Workers of the fuel stations are seen indiscriminately providing fuel to the bikers without following of helmet affairs instruction.

On condition of anonymity, more than one fuel pump owners and workers in the town said, “If we comply with the directive, our sale drops drastically. Besides, most of the fuel collectors or bikers use muscle power or threat us in different manners. Sometime, many bikers utilize political influence, if we decline to provide fuel sans helmet. In this situation, what we can do?”

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader in a remark on Wednesday last (after Eid) said that, “Reckless driving, plying of motorcycles without helmet and movement of easybike on the roads and highways cause of frequent road accident and lose of lives.

Jannat Ara Henry, Parliament Member for Sirajganj-2 Constituency told The Daily Sky that, “Use of helmet may ensure safety of bikers. The policy of ‘No Helmet, No Fuel’ is not a pressure for anyone, but also a step of ensuring safety for the bikers in which no more mother loses her son or no more wife loses her husband or near and dear ones due to bike accident. So, all should comply with the rules.”

“I also request to all of my fans, followers and even my political accomplices to use helmet during bike riding for own safety. Don’t misuse political clout with the intent to avoid helmet. Because it’s only for you and your safety, not for others,” she added.

STANDARD OF HELMET USED BY THE BIKERS:

During its investigation, The Daily Sky also noticed that, some bikers in the town use helmet, but those helmets don’t have proper standard. Bikers wear helmet with the aim to maintain traffic rules, but they ignore the matter of helmet’s standard. Consequently, safety issues are remaining abandoned. If any biker uses right ones, he or she uses substandard or plastic helmet for his or her companion with a view to just eyewash to the police or public. But, it does not help himself or herself to give a protection.

Abu Bakker, a helmet trader in the town said, “As the traffic department sometime takes tougher stance against non-use of helmet, the sale of helmet increases. But, most of the bikers collect substandard helmet with a cheaper rate that don’t have capacity for providing protection. Consequently, the safety measure is flouted.”

Md. Jafar Ullah, Traffic Inspector (TI for Admin and Prosecution) in Sirajganj told The Daily Sky that, “It’s a shocking matter that even after filing 1214 cases against helmetless bikers out of total around 3000 bikers in the last two and half month, awareness has not yet been grown among them in this regard. Most of the youths and even teenagers ride bike without helmet. Sometime, three to four persons ride on a bike that highly risky. I thing, it is not possible to make the people aware by applying laws. People should be aware about their safety by own selves. This is why, social awareness is a must here. Otherwise, nothing is possible.”

Beside the implementation of “No Helmet, No Fuel” policy, TI Jafar Ullah also expressed a theme for the young and next generation with a new slogan, “Say no to three persons on a bike together and save the lives”.