Staff Reporter:
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam has said the government has decided to introduce GPS tracking system in all public transport across the country to curb irregularities on roads and highways and to bring discipline in the transport sector.
“Due to various government measures, around 15 million people were able to travel outside Dhaka smoothly during the last Eid-ul-Fitr holidays,” he told reporters after a high-level meeting on road safety held at the secretariat yesterday.
Expressing profound shock over the loss of lives in two separate accidents during the Eid vacation, the minister said a number of pragmatic steps have been taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
Shaikh Rabiul Alam said that from the next Eid, passenger buses will not be allowed to pick up passengers from random places on the roads. Instead, passengers must be taken only from desig-nated stoppages.
He added that once the GPS system is introduced, buses will not be able to carry excess passengers. If they do so, or fail to complete designated routes or return midway, they will automatically come under a penalty system.
The minister noted that except a number of few isolated incidents, the majority of people were able to travel safely to their homes during Eid-ul-Fitr.
Referring to the upcoming Eid al-Adha, he said discussions were held on how to make holiday travel more convenient and hassle-free.
He said various suggestions have come from heads of different agencies, which will be implement-ed in phases.
The minister also said no roadside shops will be allowed along highways during the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha, and instructions have been given to the Local Government Ministry and deputy commis-sioners across the country to ensure that cattle markets are not set up along the highways.
State Minister for Road Transport Habibur Rashid, Shimul Biswas, MP, secretaries of different ministries, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner and heads of various agencies were present.
