Tuesday 11 October 2011

Licence only after test. Human chain asks govt for safe drivers, roads


Lawmaker and noted artiste Tarana Halim yesterday demanded the government make non-bailable the offence of causing road accidents by drivers and increase the maximum punishment to 10 years imprisonment.

She was addressing a human chain programme seeking necessary steps to reduce road accidents and ensure safe movement, said a release.

Saif Foundation and Families United Against Road Accidents (Fuara) jointly formed the human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club.

Around 1.9 lakh drivers got professional licences without taking any test during the last 18 years and recommendation has been made to issue another 28,000, she said quoting newspaper reports.

Tarana expressed concern that these irregularities will raise the toll in road crashes and urged the authorities not to issue driving licences without conducting proper tests.

Earlier on August 20, the legislator announced that she would go on a hunger strike unto death if the government issues licences without arranging any test.

Denying that the movement for road safety has political affiliation as hinted by some quarters, she insisted it is a social movement for public welfare.

The Awami League lawmaker also demanded amendment to Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1983 and arrangement of proper training for those who got licences earlier with out taking any test.

Railway and river routes should be developed urgently to ensure better movement of people, Mujahidul Islam Selim, general secretary of Communist Party of Bangladesh, told the programme.

Fuara convener Iqram Ahmed underscored modernising the existing laws and its proper enforcement to ensure road safety.

Saif Foundation chairman Samia Halim, some family members of accident victims, students, teachers and social and cultural workers joined the programme.

Licence only after test
Human chain asks govt for safe drivers, roads

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