Motorcycles allowed to run on highways during Eid

There will be no restriction on motorcycle movement on highways during this year’s Eid-ul-Fitr, road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader said on Sunday.

The minister said this during a discussion held at the BRTA headquarters in Banani on ensuring passengers safety on road travel during this year’s Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations.

The ministry has already barred motorcycles from the Padma Bridge during Eid but has imposed no such restriction on highway travel for motorcycles, said Obaidul.

“Have we said that motorcycles can’t run on highways? Motorcycles can run on all highways except the Padma Bridge,” the minister said.

Earlier, during last year’s Eid-ul-Adha, the road transport and bridges ministry had imposed a bar on motorcycles on highways.

Motorcycles were barred from running on highways three days before Eid, the day of Eid and the three days after Eid. Moreover, motorcycles can only run in the district it has been registered under. But the ministry has backtracked from its rigid position just one day later.

The bridges minister further said, this year trucks won’t operate on highways three days before Eid. Five days before Eid and for a week after it, petrol pumps will remain open 24/7.

Former shipping minister Shajahan Khan, IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamum, secretaries of different ministries and chiefs of different organisations were also present in the meeting.