The roads and bridges ministry has formed a 15 member committee called “Road Accident Control Committee” with former shipping minister, Shahjahan Khan.
Shahjahan Khan is also the president of the Bangladesh Road Transport Labourers Federation.
However, specialists are skeptical as to how effective the committee will be since it’s led by a labour leader.
Joint secretary of the Bangladesh Road Transport Labourers League, Md Hanif Khokon, said, “Led by Shahjahan Khan, 233 organisations are involved in extortion, he also has transport business and therefore, how he will bring back discipline in transport remains puzzling.”
On 17 Feb, the new committee was formed. The other members are: president of the road transport association and former state minister for rural development and cooperatives, Mashiur Rahman Ranga, secretary general of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, Khondokar Enayetullah, general secretary of the Bangladesh Truck, Covered Van Owners Association, Rustom Ali, DIG Highway, DIG Operation, BRAC, BUET, BRTA, chairman of Nirapod Shorko Chai, Ilias Kanchan and others,
The committee has been asked to submit a report within the next 14 working days.
A similar committee was formed in 2011 with former VC of Jahangirnagar, Professor Anwar Hossain, as the head. That committee submitted a three layer recommendation after prolonged research.
Of the recommendations were steps to prevent sexual harassment in buses. Unfortunately, the suggestions never saw the light of day.
Professor Anwar says, “I do not know why another committee has been formed; we made short, medium and long term recommendations but do not know the latest status of the recommendation.”
Ilias Kanchan also seemed skeptical about the leadership capabilities of Shahjahan Khan who reportedly said, “Since people are increasing, the number of accidents will also rise.”
Professor Dr Shamsul Huq of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, BUET, also a transport specialist, expressed deep misgivings about the new committee.
Making another committee means wasting time when action should have been taken on the previous recommendations.
Meanwhile, secretary general of the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, Mozammel Huq Chowdhury, said, “Shahjahan Khan is not a labour leader because he owns several transport companies.”
On Monday, after the formation of the committee, roads, transport and bridges minister, Obaidul Quader, said, “We are focusing to control accidents.”
Do not be disheartened, we shall bring back discipline to the roads, he added.
