Heavy vehicles restricted on highways for 3 days

The government on Thursday asked the authorities concerned not to allow plying of trucks, lorries and covered-vans on the highways across the country for three days before the Eid-ul-Fitr.

However, the vehicles carrying daily essentials and emergency medicine will be out of purview of the instruction.

The decision was made at a preparatory meeting on ensuring safe and hassle-free journey for homebound people ahead of the Eid. The meeting was held at the road transport and bridges ministry.

The meeting urged the power, energy and mineral resources ministry for taking measures to ensure that the CNG re-fuelling stations across the country will remain open round-the-clock seven days before and five days after the Eid.

Road transport and highway division secretary M Nazrul Islam said the journey of holidaymakers ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr this year will be smooth compared to previous years.

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) will conduct mobile courts to stop movement of vehicles without fitness certificates, he added.

Talking to journalists, he said that this year the condition of roads on the highways across the country is much better than previous years and hence the holidaymakers are likely to have a smooth journey ahead of the Eid.

Nazrul Islam also said vigilance teams will remain active round-the-clock to make sure that no passenger is charged extra fare while travelling buses during the Eid journey.

Officials of the ministry, BRTA and transport owners’ association were present at the meeting.