Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haque said that the will of the students has been reflected through the approval of the draft Road Transport Act-2018. This act contains all the punishments that the students have been demanding for the drivers or those involved in intentional accidents.
He made this comment in a response to the Road Transport Act-2018 in his office after the cabinet meeting at the Secretariat on Monday.
The Law Minister said, a driver can be deducted one point for one offense. If 12 points are deducted in this way, he will not be given a driving license again. This sophisticated system was not available in our country before. It has been added to this law now. It contains instructions on obtaining a driving license and on vehicle registration, including vehicle control.
He said, "It has made provisions on several issues including motor vehicle construction, equipment layout, weight limit determination and environmental pollution. The law has detailed instructions on compensation c level contact list for accidents, medical treatment and insurance. The law has instructions to form a trustee board with representatives of the drivers' association, owners and the government. The task of this trustee board will be to create a fund."
The minister said that the previous law had 177 sections. In the current law, it has been reduced to 124 and organized into 14 chapters. Regulations for issuing driving licenses have been brought, and everything necessary for vehicle operation and road management has been added.
He said, in the previous law, the punishment for negligence of driving was 3 years. In this law, it has been made non-bailable for 5 years. It does not end here. If different information and evidence is found during the investigation, it will be caseable under Section 302 of the Bangladesh Penal Code. Here, the investigation report and testimony of the investigating officer will decide whether the case will be tried under Section 302 or Section 304.
Anisul Haque said, "The accident cannot be dismissed as just an accident. If the investigation shows that there was a deliberate mistake or that the accident could have been handled, then the case will be tried under Section 302. The case will be taken to a speedy trial court if necessary, depending on the importance of the case and the public interest involved." In the meantime, the government has promised to take the case of two young children on Airport Road to a speedy trial court under Section 302.
He said, "In making this law, the government has taken all the related case verdicts and court rulings into utmost consideration. Most of them have been included. Those that could not be taken will be added while making the rules."