BNP terms draft Road Transport Bill a ‘jugglery’

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday described the draft Road Transport Bill approved by the cabinet as a ‘trickery of numbers’, saying it will not be able to ensure the road safety, reports UNB.

“The bill is not sufficient to ensure safe roads, and miscreants and godfathers will remain at large. It (the bill) is nothing but a jugglery of numbers,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with the remarks while giving the party’s reaction to the draft Road Transport bill at a press conference at the party’s Naya Paltan central office.

The BNP leader raised doubts whether the proposed bill can help ensure security and restore discipline in the public transport sector. “People are also in doubt whether the bill will be passed in parliament.”

Earlier on Monday, the cabinet approved the draft Road Transport Bill with a provision of maximum 5 years’ jail for any death or serious injuries caused by reckless or negligent driving while death penalty for intentional murder by driving.

The approval was given at the weekly meeting of the cabinet held at the secretariat with prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair amid the ongoing student movement demanding safe road.

Rizvi alleged that ruling party’s armed ‘cadres’ attacked demonstrating students and journalists under the police protection over the last few days.

He also said different newspapers published the photos of Chhatra League men who attacked the students. “The country’s people have got puzzled over the attacks.”

The BNP leader denounced the filing of a case against three BNP leaders ‘falsely’ accusing them of instigating students. “BNP like other political parties extended its support to students’ justified movement.”

He said the prime minister and the senior ministers appreciated students at the initial stage, saying they identified the genuine flaws. “If your appreciation is not provocation, how did BNP instigate them by giving them support?”