The road transport and bridges minister, Obaidul Quader, on Wednesday instructed the authorities concerned not to allow battery-run vehicles on Dhaka city roads.
鈥楨arlier we banned these vehicles on 22 national highways,鈥� he said, adding that now it鈥檚 time for implementation.
The minister also said that not only a ban on the movement of these vehicles on the city roads was sufficient, initiatives were also important to stop these vehicles from running on the city roads.
He made the announcement at the first meeting of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Advisory Council Committee held at BRTA Bhaban in the capital on the day.
At the meeting, Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Md Atiqul Islam and former shipping minister and Bangladesh Road Transport Workers鈥� Federation president Shajahan Khan were also present, among other senior officials of different ministries.
Earlier on August 1, 2015, the road transport and bridges ministry banned three-wheelers and non-motorised vehicles from 22 national highways in the wake of a spate of fatal traffic crashes.
Later, the ministry also kept three-wheeler vehicles off from Dhaka Elevated Expressway and Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway.
As per the Motor Vehicle Speed Limit Guidelines 2024, the government banned any kinds of three-wheelers from plying on three categories of roads鈥攅xpressways, national and regional highways.
The DSCC mayor alleged that many people with disabilities drove battery-run rickshaws in the capital recklessly.
Terming these vehicles as very risky, the north city mayor also demanded a decision on a ban on these vehicles on the city roads.聽
At the Wednesday meeting, a decision was also made to introduce 鈥榥o helmet, no fuel鈥� rule for motorcycles across the country.
鈥楴owadays motorcycles on the highways are a new menace,鈥� Obaidul Quader said, blaming motorcycles and three-wheeler vehicles, including easy bikes, for most of the crashes and causalities.
He also supported a proposal for banning the fitness defying vehicles from running on the roads and asked the authorities to discuss the matter with transport owners.
Instructions were given by the minister to extend the timeline from May 31 to June 30 to pay taxes and fees for renewing vehicle documents and driving licences without any fines.
As per the enactment of the Bangladesh Road Transport Act 2017, the advisory council committee was formed following the implementation of this act on November 1, 2019.聽聽
Obaidul Quader added that due to the Covid-19 pandemic and his personal health condition the meeting of this committee was not held.