-73K unfit vehicles above 20 to 25-yrs-old plying in country
- Manufacturers suggest vehicle’s economic life at 10 to 15 yrs highest
- In September, an average 14.2 ppl died by accident per day
The number of accidents continues to rise as thousands of unfit vehicles plying on the country's roads. At present, more than 73 thousand vehicles of 20 and 25 years old are plying in the country. Passengers and goods are being transported in those vehicles.
However, according to the government's draft motor vehicle scrap policy, the period of operation of buses and minibuses has been fixed for 20 years. And the life span of goods transport vehicles has been fixed at 25 years. The traffic of old vehicles is causing frequent accidents on the roads and the extra black smoke emitted by the old vehicles is causing air pollution.
Last September, there were 392 road accidents in the country. 426 people were killed and 813 people were injured. This information is known from Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and NGO related sources.
According to the relevant sources, there are a total of 35 thousand 782 twenty-year-old buses and minibuses in the country. Among them there are 8 thousand 132 buses and 6 thousand 478 minibuses in Dhaka city. And there are 7 thousand 704 buses and 13 thousand 468 minibuses in all circles outside Dhaka city. Besides, there are 37 thousand 257 trucks, covered vans and tankers of 25 years old. Among them there are 5 thousand 958 trucks, 149 covered vans, 282 tankers in Dhaka city. There are 29 thousand 21 trucks, 355 covered vans and 1 thousand 510 tankers in all circles outside Dhaka city. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate took the initiative to remove more than 20 years old buses plying in Dhaka to prevent air pollution. According to sources, BRTA has registered 60 lakh 17 thousand 438 motor vehicles in total of 20 types of vehicles till March 31, 2024. Among them, there are 54 thousand 687 registered buses, 28 thousand 322 minibuses, 1 lakh 50 thousand 676 trucks, 48 thousand 983 covered vans and 6 thousand 944 tankers. In all, the total number of motor vehicles registered by BRTA in those five categories is 2 lakh 89 thousand 612. Among them, the age of 70 thousand 53 vehicles is above 20 to 25 years. Meanwhile, the life span or 'economic life' of vehicles is determined in the Road Transport Act, but it is not implemented. Last May 2023, BRTA in a notification determined the economic life of buses, trucks, covered vans and tankers. But the notification was withdrawn in August of the same year.
There are complaints that BRTA has backed down under the pressure of transport owners. However, automobile manufacturers generally keep the economic life of a vehicle at 10 to 15 years. But more than 5 to 10 years are given with some concession in developing countries. Vehicles at the end of their economic life are extremely dangerous for the road. On the other hand, there were 392 road accidents in the country last September. 426 people were killed and 813 people were injured. Last August, 438 people were killed in road accidents. According to that, averages of 14.12 people were killed every day. In September, an average of 14.2 people was killed per day. Accordingly, the death toll increased by 0.08 percent in September. This information is reported in the Road Safety Foundation's monthly report on accidents. According to the data of the report, Dhaka division has the highest number of 128 people killed in 124 accidents. Barisal division had the lowest, with 16 deaths in 15 accidents. 28 people were killed in 31 accidents in Chittagong as a single district.
In this context, BRTA Director (Road Safety) Sheikh Mohammad Mahbub-e-Rabbani said that to drive on the road, the vehicle must have registration, fitness, route permit and tax token. Failure to do so may result in legal action against the vehicle. But BRTA enforcement cannot do that. This can be done by the police. However, BRTA has some magistrates. Some mobile courts are run by them. However, currently no economic life of the vehicle is determined. If it is ever decided that an expired vehicle is not roadworthy, such vehicle will not be issued a route permit.
ZH
