Govt to bring buses, trucks under central monitoring with GPS trackers: Minister

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh
Rabiul Alam has said GPS trackers will be installed in all buses, trucks and
covered vans to ensure discipline in transport movement, with authorities set
to monitor vehicles centrally.
Speaking to
journalists today (29 March) after a meeting at the Secretariat, the minister
said the system would allow the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and
police to track the location, speed and routes of vehicles in real time.
The meeting
focused on strengthening government measures to prevent road accidents and
improve overall road safety.
Rabiul Alam said the initiative had been
taken to bring order to transport operations, although he did not specify a
timeline for its implementation.
He also described
people's journey during the Eid holidays as "smooth", despite some
incidents.
"Two major
accidents occurred. Other than that, the usual scenarios – gridlocks, people
waiting for hours, or being unable to go home due to a lack of vehicles and
spending Eid day on the road – existed before. We believe that people were able
to return home more safely and comfortably than at any other time. Although I
am saying that two or three accidents have pained and saddened us," he
said.
The minister added,
"I believe the Eid journey was smooth. Because 1.5 crore people wanted to
leave Dhaka within three days, a couple of unwanted accidents happened, for
which we are sorry, the nation is sorry, the nation is aggrieved and shocked.
No one wants the departure of even a single life."
The minister expressed disagreement with casualty figures provided by private
organisations, saying official data showed a lower number of deaths.
"Regarding
what has been said about the deceased, I think I will have a disagreement with
your statistics. We collect data immediately whenever an accident occurs
through BRTA and the Roads and Highways Authority. According to my data, the
number of deaths this time in road and waterway accidents is 170. Among them,
47 were on highways, 28 on waterways, and likely 17 on railways," he said.
He noted that 187
people died in accidents over 11 days during Eid last year.
"I do not
want to compare using these statistics; no death is desirable, as I said at the
beginning. However, it would not be right to say we could not control it; it is
under control, it is less than before, and we will reduce it further in the
future. That is exactly why today's preparatory and discussion meeting was
held," he added.
When asked about
responsibility for the accidents, he said action had been taken where
involvement was found.
"I do not
want to hold anyone specifically responsible for the accidents. However, legal
and departmental actions have been taken against those whose primary
involvement was found through investigation committees – wherever they may
be," he said.
Providing an
example, the minister said, "Two railway guards have been dismissed and
arrested. The sub-assistant engineer, who was their boss and responsible for
ensuring those guards were stationed and functioning, has also been terminated
from service. That is, action has been taken."
He also said an
explanation had been sought from Souhardya Paribahan over a bus that sank in
the Padma with passengers at the Daulatdia ferry terminal in Rajbari's Goalanda
upazila.
"If the
explanation is not satisfactory, the registration or route permit of not just
that bus, but all buses of that company will be cancelled. We have already
initiated that process," he said.
















