Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said AI-powered surveillance cameras will help curb extortion on highways by ensuring that activities on the roads are recorded.
“Whether extortion is carried out by transport owners, labor federations or police, everything will be recorded on camera. Hopefully, this will help reduce the practice. I believe that with public cooperation, we will be able to stop extortion on highways,” he said.
The minister made the remarks while inaugurating an AI-powered “Auto Fine System” on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in Meghnaghat, Sonargaon, Narayanganj, at around 11:30am on Tuesday.
Describing the initiative as a major step towards restoring discipline on highways, Salahuddin said AI-powered cameras had been installed on 490 pillars along the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway.
The cameras will automatically detect violations, including speeding, breaches of traffic rules, driving on the wrong side of the road, illegal overtaking and failure to follow road signs and signals, he said.
Fines will then be issued automatically, with the details sent to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). Vehicle owners will receive fine notices by SMS and be able to pay them through designated mobile financial services.
The minister said any decision to cancel a vehicle’s registration after three fines would be made in accordance with BRTA regulations.
After identifying and addressing any shortcomings in the system on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, the Auto Fine System will gradually be introduced on highways across the country, he said.
The Highway Police and Bangladesh Police will conduct awareness campaigns through newspapers, social media and other platforms to inform people about the new system, Salahuddin added.
The minister also said authorities would seek to bring three-wheelers under greater regulation. However, he said non-motorized vehicles and three-wheelers would not be allowed to operate on highways under any circumstances.
Asked about unlicensed vehicles, Salahuddin said police would take action against them in accordance with existing laws.
He urged transport owners, workers and police to work together to make the initiative successful.
Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation President Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Narayanganj-3 MP Azharul Islam Mannan, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Monzur Morshed Chowdhury and Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir attended the event.
Highway Police Additional Inspector General Faruk Ahmed chaired the program. Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Md Raihan Kabir, Superintendent of Police Mizanur Rahman Munsi and other officials were also present.
