Safe travel is one of the major challenges throughout the world. According to World Health Organization about 12.5 lakh people die and 3% of World GDP is destroyed because of road accidents. Bangladesh Government has formulated draft of ‘Road Transport Authority Act-2015’ (ratified in Ministerial Council) and ‘Road Transport Act-2015’. But there are many weakness and inconsistency in the both Acts. To establish a safe and environment friendly transportation system it is necessary for Bangladesh Road Transport Authority to collect and analyze data of road accidents and set work plan according to that. Pedestrian, non-motorized vehicles should be given priority in the Act. Besides, private car control should be addressed and accountability of the authority should be clarified. Both Acts need to be revised. On 10 November 2015 at 11am transport related sub-committee of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) in cooperation with Bangladesh Institute of Planners (B.I.P) and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust organized a view exchange meeting on ‘Opinion on Formulated Laws to Ensure Safe and Environment Friendly Transport System’ at the Conference Lounge of National Press Club. Speakers expressed the above mentioned view on the program.

Maruf Hossain, Program Manager, WBB Trust and Member Secretariat, Transport related Sub-Committee of BAPA, was the key note speaker. He said that Motor Vehicle Ordinance focuses on motor vehicles only. We were glad to know about the new Road Transport Act because other than motor vehicles many other vehicles operate in the road. But the issues are absent in this Act too. If these Acts are ratified in ways they are now, they will fail to ensure safety. So there is no alternative of revising the Acts. 

Mobassher Hossain, Co-Chairman, BAPA, said that, our country do not lack laws. But the laws are not being implemented because of inadequate expertise and honest and neutral authority. Government must not hurry to ratify ‘Road Transport Authority Act-2015’ and ‘Road Transport Act-2015’. Opinions of relevant all agencies should be considered. Otherwise the Acts should be defended by a writ in the High Court. The Act should be more pedestrian friendly.

Iqbal Habib, Joint Secretary, BAPA, said that, the Acts should be revised to ensure safe transport system. There is no specific authority in Highway Act. So there is no one to monitor the activities. By regular monitoring, research and public opinion it is possible to ensure safe transport system. Highway Act will not be able to make the regional and city roads safe and environment friendly. 

Akter Mahmud, General Secretary of B.I.P and Convener of Transport related Sub-Committee of BAPA chaired the view exchange meeting. He said that implementation of law is important to establish safe and environment friendly road. So relevant ministry must consider the issue and take steps accordingly. The Act should play an important role to ensure a safe transport system.   

Dr. Md. Mahbubul Alam Talukder, Researcher, Action Research Institute said that, only law formulation is not enough, they should be implemented properly. We should learn from our past mistakes.

Professor Samsul Alam, Representative, CAB, said that, the Acts are not people friendly. We reject them and want them to be revised.Other speakers of the program were Dr. Nurul Islam, former vice-chancellor, Eastern University; Professor A M Muajjem Hossain, Cochairman, BAPA; Kamrul Ahsan Khan, Coordinator, Bangladesh Environment Network, Australian Chapter and many more.