Draft of Road Transport Act

The Cabinet has approved the draft of Road Transport Act 2017 on March 27. It requires education of up to at least eighth grade for getting a driving licence and up to fifth grade to work as a helper. Penalties ranging from one to three months' jail and Tk 5,000 – Tk 35,000 fine for being intoxicated or using mobile phone while driving and driving on the wrong side of the road have also been imposed. The draft law includes harsher punishments for many other driving offences.

While we welcome this proposed piece of legislation, it is quite disturbing that it does not include a provision for punishment for fatal accidents or accidents that cause severe injuries. The highest punishment for fatal road accidents remains the same: a meagre three-year jail sentence. The government has also not changed the sentence to a non-bailable offence despite protests by road safety experts and practitioners. 

As per the most recent statistics, up until March 27, there have been as many as 428 deaths in 46 days due to road accidents. Bangladesh also has one of the highest death rates in the world due to road crashes. Why then has tougher punishment for killing due to reckless driving – the most serious offence – not been included in the draft law? Is this a case of interests of transport sector lobbyists superseding those of the public? The government should look into these aspects of the draft law keeping in mind that the punishment, at all times, must fit the crime.