DHAKA, Mar 29 (V7N) – In a major move to digitize road safety, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam announced on Sunday that the government will mandate the installation of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in all public transport vehicles. The decision, aimed at curbing traffic violations and identifying unfit vehicles in real-time, was finalized during a high-level meeting at the Secretariat to review post-Eid road safety.

Digital Surveillance and Enforcement

The Minister explained that the GPS initiative would provide the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and police with a central monitoring tool to ensure road discipline.

  • Speed & Route Tracking: "Action will be taken immediately if any vehicle exceeds the 80 km/h speed limit on the highways," the Minister stated. The system will also detect if buses are bypassing their designated routes or returning midway.

  • Ending Overcrowding: Once implemented, GPS data will help authorities identify buses carrying excess passengers, triggering an automatic penalty system.

  • Designated Stoppages: From the next Eid, buses will be strictly prohibited from picking up or dropping off passengers at random points. Instead, they must use designated stoppages to prevent highway congestion.

Ferry Safety and Fair Management

Addressing specific safety concerns at river crossings, the Minister issued a strict directive regarding ferries:

  • Ferry Protocol: For the safety of the vessel and its passengers, 100% of passengers must disembark from buses before the vehicle is loaded onto a ferry. This follows a recent incident where a bus sank at the Daulatdia terminal.

  • Fair Enforcement: The Minister noted that mobile courts have been active in areas where complaints of "extra fares" were reported, ensuring that commuters were not exploited during the holiday rush.

Clearing the Highways

To ensure smoother traffic flow during upcoming holidays like Eid-ul-Adha, the Ministry is planning several structural changes:

  • Removing Roadside Counters: The Minister announced that no ticket counters will be allowed to operate along the highways in the future.

  • Ban on Roadside Markets: Instructions have been given to the Local Government Ministry to ensure that cattle markets and roadside shops are not set up along national highways.

  • Ban Compliance: Sheikh Rabiul Alam alleged that despite a ban on trucks and non-essential heavy vehicles for three days before and after Eid, many were still plying the highways, contributing to localized gridlocks.

Reflection on Eid-ul-Fitr 2026

Despite two major "unfortunate accidents" that pained the nation, the Minister characterized the overall Eid journey as "comfortable" and "smooth."

  • Massive Movement: He noted that nearly 15 million people left Dhaka within a three-day window, a volume that puts immense pressure on infrastructure.

  • Safety Gains: According to official data, the number of road accidents and fatalities this year has seen a significant decrease compared to the same period last year.

The meeting, attended by State Minister for Road Transport Habibur Rashid, MP Shimul Biswas, and senior police officials, concluded with a pledge to implement these technical and administrative reforms in phases before the next peak travel season.

END/SMA/AJ