The government has given the green signal to the amendment of the Road Transport Act while reducing jail terms and fines imposed on drivers and their assistants for various offences.
This proposal was approved at the Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday.
Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain said in a press conference at the Secretariat: "In 12 sections of the Road Transport (Amendment) Act, 2024, the punishment for crimes has been reduced. The amount of fines has been reduced under eight sections.”
“Three offences under the act were non-bailable earlier. Following the amendment, one section of the offence has been made non-bailable while others have been made bailable,” he added.
He pointed out that if this law is passed, it will be a non-bailable offence only if the individual dies in an accident or is seriously injured.
Regarding the proposed changes to various sections of the law, the secretary explained that under Section 69, providing false information regarding a driving licence, which previously carried a penalty of two years’ imprisonment and a Tk5 lakh fine, is now proposed to be punishable by two years imprisonment and a Tk3 lakh fine.
Similarly, Section 12, which penalizes driving a vehicle after the licence has been revoked, previously incurred a three-month jail term and a Tk25,000 fine. The proposed amendment reduces this to three months imprisonment and a Tk15,000 fine.
The amendment also proposes a one-month jail term and a Tk5,000 fine for driving without a license for both driver and supervisor.
Sections 84, 98, and 105 were non-bailable in the existing law. The amendments make all sections bailable except Section 105. Violation of technical instructions of a motor vehicle, previously non-bailable, is now proposed to be bailable.
Stating that a clause has been added in the proposed act to insure the motor vehicle owner, he said, "A fine of Tk 3000 will be imposed if a motor vehicle is found without insurance."
The government enacted the law following extensive student protests advocating safer roads. However, since its implementation, drivers, transport owners, and workers have been calling for amendments.