The taskforce, formed to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the National Roads Safety Council to restore discipline on roads and highways, wants an end to plying of inter-district motorcycles to reduce road accidents.

Former shipping minister Shahjahan Khan and a member of the taskforce said this after the meeting of the taskforce at the Home Ministry on Wednesday.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal presided over the meeting.

Read: Restriction on motorcycle driving, ride-sharing for a week during Eid

Shahjahan said, “There will be no inter-district ride sharing. The matter was discussed in the meeting. We have taken the matter seriously as around 40 per cent of road accidents occur due to motorcycles. We have decided to control it.” 

Shahjahan, also the president of the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, said, “Many people are saying that motorcycles are being controlled due to the conspiracy of the bus owners. This is ridiculous. We have only suggested stopping long route ride sharing. The government will decide on the matter.”

Mentioning that the country has limited dope test centres for drivers, Shahjahan Khan said they requested the authorities concerned to increase the number of dope test centres and reduce dope test fees from the existing Tk 900.

The meeting also recommended increasing the number of employees at BRTA and recruiting more highway police personnel to maintain discipline on roads, he added.

Regarding the appointment letter of the transport workers by the owners, he said Road Transport or Home Minister will soon inaugurate the mass appointment letter handover ceremony all over the county through the virtual platform.