The Road Transport Law-2018 has not seen the light of day despite being signed by the president and published in the form of a gazette.
This law has the provision for death penalty though the transport workers and owners have a different opinion on the matter. Owners and workers demand changes in the law plus the provision for bail.
They want amendment or relaxation to the clauses of education requirement, death sentence and age requirement.
The Road Transport Law-2018 was raised at parliament on Sept 13, 2018, passed on Sept 19 and published as a gazette on Oct 8.
The law could not be implemented due to the opposition of transport owners and workers.
On Aug 6 last, the prime minister gave six directives to bring back discipline to the roads. They are: 1. Extra drivers for long route cars, 2. A driver should not be forced to drive more than five hours at a stretch, 3. Training must be ensured for drivers and their assistants, 4. Rest houses and service centres need to be constructed on roads at particular distances, 5. Reckless crossing of roads need to be stopped and 6. Usage of seatbelts must be made mandatory.
The clause 105 of the law stipulates 5 years imprisonment or Tk 500,000 fine or both if reckless driving causes death. Clause 302 stipulates death sentence if someone is killed with malice aforethought on the road.
The sub clause of 6 (A) states that for non-professional drivers, the minimum age is 18 which is 20 for professionals. The (C) sub clause says that a professional driver must be educated up to class eight and 21 years of age.
If it’s proved that a vehicle was rashly driven to kill someone then the highest punishment is death.
A helper of a bus, said: “After working as a helper for a long time our dream is to become a driver but under the current law we can never be a driver.”
Member of the committee to bring back discipline to the roads, Syed Abul Maksud, said: “The complaint by transport owners and workers is not true; the new law relaxes a lot of punishment.”
Law minister Anisul Huq, said: “In the new law, punishment has been reduced; earlier, Bangladesh punitive clause 304 (B) the punishment was seven years, in 1985 that was reduced to three years and now, that has been raised to 5 years.”
Secretary of the roads and highways department Md. Nazrul Islam, said: “The amendment of the law is underway so there is no reason for concern.”