Most DNCC vehicles’ registration, fitness certificate out of date, probe finds

The registration and fitness certificates of most of vehicles of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) have not been updated, according to a probe body formed to investigate a fatal accident involving a garbage truck of the city corporation, reports news agency UNB.

A three-member probe committee, formed on the same day to ensure proper investigation into the matter.

The committee led by Commodore SM Sharif-ul-Islam, chief waste management officer of Dhaka north, included supervising engineer (mechanical) Abul Hasnat Md Ashraful Alam, and general manager (transport) Md Mizanur Rahman.

In November last year, Ahsan Kabir, 46, a reporter of ‘Daily Shangbad’ was going to his workplace in Mirpur from Moghbazar by a ride-sharing motorbike.

When the bike reached Panthapath area around 2:30pm he fell down from the bike after being hit by a DNCC garbage truck., Ahsan was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where physicians declared him dead.

According to the investigation report, driver Md Hanif can be held accountable for the accident because he failed to notice the motorbike and lost control over the steering. Besides, he did not have a license to drive a heavy vehicle. The motorbike driver can also be convicted at the same time since the pillion rider fell from the vehicle as a result of him losing control of it.

The probe report said that the incident couldn’t be ascertained explicitly due to the lack of clear CCTV footage or witness present at the location of the accident. The report also said the vehicle involved in the accident did not have any registration or fitness certificate.

As per data from the department of transport, mechanical circles and waste management, most of the Dhaka North City Corporation vehicles have not updated their registration and fitness certificates.

The DNCC also does not have the required number of drivers for their total number of vehicles, while most of the drivers’ licenses have not been updated.

The probe body has made several recommendations including taking responsibility for the victim’s family.

The other recommendations are - Installing dashboard cameras and Vehicle Tracking Systems (VTS) on all DNCC vehicles, managing vehicles and drivers through a department (transport pool), organising regular training sessions on road safety laws and regulations, ensuring up-to-date vehicle registration, fitness and licensing for drivers, recruiting new drivers in proportion to the number of vehicles, providing at least one licensed second seater for a heavy vehicle with the required number of helpers. City corporation garbage trucks can be run on roads from evening till 7:00 in the morning.

Several activities have been completed by Dhaka North City Corporation including providing training to light licensed drivers for heavy licenses after the incident.

DNCC has already taken the responsibility for the victim’s family.