The home minister has said the government is undertaking several immediate measures to improve road safety in accordance with the demands of protesting students.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has issued orders to implement the 9-point demand set forth by students, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told the press on Thursday.
“Some of the demands have already been met and the rest will follow soon. The prime minister has issued direct orders,” he said.
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority will run mobile courts to take action against transport and drivers who do not have the proper licences or fitness, he added.
“They will set up check posts at each point in the city from where buses set off,” Kamal said.
“Foot overbridges will be installed near every school that is on a main road.”
The minister urged students to stand down from their protests.
“I urge the innocent students: you have done enough, now to go back to class, go back home,” he said.
The minister said he feared that vested quarters might use the student movement to incite violence.
“We have evidence that Chhatra Dal and Shibir are infiltrating the movement. We have audio records of conversations where they are being instructed to slip in among students wearing uniform,” he said.
“They are trying to incite and mislead the students through Facebook. We are trying to catch these instigators,” he added.
“To the students who went around checking drivers' papers on the streets, I will say, this is not your job. You should get back to your studies,” Kamal said.
The movement has caused the public a lot of suffering, he said.
“In the last five days 317 vehicles have been vandalized and eight burned. We are urging you not to continue this,” he added.
