Traffic in capital returns to normalcy

Traffic in capital Dhaka has returned to normalcy after Bangladesh Transport Workers' Federation on Saturday night declared that they will not go to any movement over the Road Transport Act to June 30 next year. 

The transport workers' body sat with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan last night.

After the meeting, its president MP Shajahan Khan said they will abide by the road transport law if the government fixes flaws and inconsistencies which the law contains within June 30 next year, and they will not go to any movement during the period.  

Home Minister, at the meeting, echoed his previous statement made with truck-covered van and goods transport workers and owners, saying that drivers will get time till June 30, 2020 to update their necessary documents, including driving license and vehicle fitness certificate.

After the announcement from Transport Workers' Federation, vehicular movement on different routes of the capital became normal.

Mass transports were seen plying in city's differents areas, including Mirpur, Gabtali, Kalyanpur, Shyamoli and College Gate, on Sunday morning like other normal days. 

Prabir Kumar Das, Traffic North deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said traffic police were busy to direct vehicular movement on roads in the capital as there were pressure of vehicles like other narmal days.

The road transport workers had observed undeclared strike across country for the last couple of days demanding amendment to the Road Transport Act, 2018 that came into effect on November 1 and was enforced from November 18.

Alongside, Bangladesh Truck Covered-Van Owners and Workers Oikya Parishad enforced strike with a nine-point demand, including amendments to the new road transport act. Later, they withdrew their strike following government assurance.

The much talked Road Transport Act, 2018 came into effect on November 1 more than 13 months after it was passed in the Jatiya Sangsad in September 2018.

The law was enacted in the wake of countrywide student protests after two students of Ramiz Uddin Cantonment College in the capital were killed by a reckless bus in Dhaka on July 29 of that year.