Govt fixes speed limits

Three-wheelers continue to ply national highways despite a ban in this regard. The photo was taken on Dhaka-Mawa Highway at Nimtoli. — Sony Ramany

The authorities on Monday decided to fix the highest speed limit at 80-kilometre for all vehicles on highways to prevent road accidents.

They also fixed the highest speed limit at 40-kilometre for all vehicles in Dhaka and other cities.
At present the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and highway police have few speed guns to measure speed of running vehicles on roads and highways.
DMP joint commissioner traffic (north) Mosleh Uddin Ahmed said he did not know the speed limit in Dhaka city and they seldom use the speed guns as vehicles in the capital cannot run at high speed.
The decisions were taken at the 23rd meeting of National Road Safety Council held at the Engineers’ Institute auditorium in the capital.
The decisions would be implemented when the circular would be issued, said officials.
While announcing the decisions, road transport and bridges minister and the council chairman Obaidul Quader said transport drivers must have rest for at least half an hour after driving for five hours.
He said the owners would ensure at least eight hours’ rest per day and at least 48 hours’ rest in a week for drivers. He urged the owners to appoint more drivers to implement the decision.
Decisions were also made not to allow any cattle markets on highways, strict action against overloaded vehicles, illegal parking and extortion on highways and roads, and relocate cattle markets from Agargaon, Banani and Armanitola to Uttara 3rd phase, Purbachal, Banarupa Bazar and Hazaribagh areas.
Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Annisul Huq said they were going to build 14 bus bays in their area soon.
He also urged the road transport and highways division to take permission from them to put any billboard in Dhaka city.
Dhaka south city mayor Sayeed Khokon said the bus drivers in the capital did not have minimum skill, which should be checked.
The meeting was also attended by shipping minister Shajahan Khan, state minister for home affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, state minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives Mashiur Rahman Ranga, senior government officials and transport associations’ leaders.

Source: New Age