The capital is almost crammed with too many motorbikes and various other types of unfit vehicles.
Besides, almost half of the total number of vehicles are driven by drivers without licenses or by unskilled people. Under this circumstance, incidents of road mishaps are increasing day by day while passengers and pedestrians have to suffer enormously.
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) sources said, at present the total number of motorbikes in the country is 26,68,123 while the number of driving licenses is about only 13,88,087, which is almost half of the total vehicles. As a result, a total of 12,80,036 bikes are driven by people without driving licenses, or by unskilled people.
Of them, there are about 7,00,000 bikes in capital Dhaka and at least 300 new motorbikes are being added with them, which is alarming.
According to the BRTA sources, only 1,70,273 people, including only 151 women, have professional driving licenses, while 12,17,814 people, including 788 women, have non-professional driving licenses.
On the other hand, the total number of buses in the country is 46,702 and of them, only 28,149 have fitness certificates. It shows that a total of 18,553 buses are unfit for movement.
The BRTA sources also said that the total number of covered vans is 32,072 and of them, 6,732 are unfit while, 16,497 out of 28,193 minibuses are unfit for usage.
Sources concerned said, the number of motorbikes has started increasing sharply, immediately after the app-based ridesharing system was introduced by different companies or organisations. Most of the bike riders are not skilled. Most of them somehow managed driving licenses. As a result, accidents are taking place often. As they are not skilled and are not aware of the traffic rules, they are causing various difficulties in passenger and pedestrian movement.
Witnesses said, almost all the roadsides, footpaths and parking places remain jam-packed with motorbikes obstructing public movement.
The BRTA authorities, however, had said they would not allow any unfit bus or bikers without driving licenses after the month of June in 2020. They have asked all the bus owners to make their buses fit and bikers have been asked to achieve driving licenses within the next six months.
BRTA Secretary, AKM Masudur Rahman said, “Road mishaps are increasing due to unfit buses, illegal motorbikes and unskilled drivers or people without driving licenses.”
“We have set an ultimatum for the bus owners and bikers till June 2020. Within this period of time, bus owners have to update their buses and bikers have to obtain licenses. None will be spared in this regard,” he added.
