Staff Reporter: Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader have said he is “not relieved” that the country has not been able to keep the roads safe despite extensive development through “mega” projects under his ministry.
“Even after doing so much, I am not relieved. Why can’t we bring order to the roads?”
The slogan of this year’s National Safe Roads Day has been fixed, ‘Adhere to the speed limit, prevent road accidents. Additional IGP of Highway Police Mallick Fakhrul Islam presented the statistics of the number of fines collected for violating traffic laws in the last nine months.
Later, Obaidul Quader said, “There is no benefit in calculating how much money you have fined. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care if the roads are safe. “Whether the driver is fit to drive, whether the car is overloaded, whether the car is moving at high speeds… that’s what I’ll see. The issue for me is whether the number of accidents has decreased.”
Commenting on the accident, the minister said, “It is happening every day. People are dying like birds, people are dying like flies. I can’t stand this tragic scene as a human being. There is a lot of suffering.”
“There is no point in denying that we have many faults. Our responsibility does not end with putting up beautiful banners. We have to do a safe road day every day. ”
Obaidul Quader said, “There is so much development, but many people say, ‘Why this work is not done. Why can’t we bring order on the road? Now there is a crisis of order, transport, and roads. He has to keep both speeds. “
‘People are ministers’
Describing the news of the death on the road every day, Awami League general secretary Quader said, “Everyone’s day starts one way and my day starts another way. My day begins with the news of an unexpected, tragic accident on a sheet of paper. Even though I am a minister, I am a human being. I also suffer. I, too, am burnt by unseen burning. Furthermore, I think I am also one of that helpless family. A few members of that family are also sacrificed along the way. Ever in a collision of two modes of transport. Sometimes three-wheelers are easybikes, Nasimon, Karimne. ”
The Minister said that several major projects of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges would be inaugurated next year. Next year on the road, I would say the revolutionary change will be fully visible. The construction of the Padma Bridge is in its final stages, I will proudly say that mega projects will be inaugurated in my ministry next year. These are Padma Bridge, MRT Line 6, Metro Rail, Bus Rapid Transit, and Bangabandhu Karnafuli Tunnel in Chittagong. ”
Another marine drive will be inaugurated from Mirsarai in Chittagong, the minister said, adding, “The Pigeon Bridge will be inaugurated on October 24. And the long-standing expectation is that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lay the foundation stone of Dhaka-Sylhet and Sylhet-Tamabil highways. ”
‘Clear to Conscience’
“I am not getting any relief even after so much development work,” he said. I can say with my hands on my chest, I have been together for ten years, I have never done any commission, percentage, any promotion trade in this ministry. I am clear to my conscience. ”
Claiming that political lobbying in the ministry has also stopped, the minister said, “The transfer of engineers, the transfer of BRTA officers, was challenging for me at the beginning of these lobbies. But I was tough, the Prime Minister supported me, the secretaries were with me, which is why I was able to stop these practices.
“There was a practice in the ministry before the minister to become a chief engineer with something, but I stopped it when I came. That practice is no more. If I have to be a chief engineer with money, he will take that money when he gets the responsibility. That’s normal. “
‘BRTA money mine’
Highlighting the corruption of the BRTA, the Minister of Road Transport and Bridges said, “Political lobbying is done because everyone wants to come to Ikiria (Keraniganj) if not Mirpur. There is a mine of money there. Where there are more cars, everyone wants to be transferred. I have stopped these misdeeds. ”
Addressing the BRTA chairman, he said, “I would say stop what has not stopped. There are still ghosts in the mustard in BRTA offices. This ghost is the broker. How do they run from the outside when they don’t have shelter inside? These must be stopped at any cost. I do not give any political advantage to anyone.
“Mr. Chairman, tell those who commit misdeeds in BRTA to get better. Take disciplinary action against them. ”
Addressing the engineers present at the discussion, Quader said, “Many engineers do a good job. But the work that some people do, the road is washed away when it rains a little. Is there any need to make this road? Keep the quality of work right. Those who do well will appreciate them.
“In a year, some four-lane roads have become bumpy. Why spend money on this road? “
The Minister directed the Secretary, Road Transport and Highways to expedite the completion of the restroom project under construction for highway drivers.
The ‘new nuisance’ motorcycle
Expressing concern over the non-stopping of three-wheelers on the highway, Obaidul Quader said, “Easybikes have spread to the villages. We have banned 22 roads. But in many places, the ban is not being obeyed. Not accepted. And lately, the new nuisance is the motorcycle. Doesn’t mean any rules.
“You see, those accidents happen every day, mostly on motorcycles. There are three riders, there are no helmets. Of course, we have tried a lot.
“Sometimes you will see in Dhaka city, the rules are not being followed, they are young Turks in politics. There are some political activists who cross in threes with one another. Ordinary people all have helmets. But looking at the young Turks, it is clear that they are showing political power. The goal is not political. ”
Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Nazrul Islam presided over the discussion. Among others, Ilias Kanchan of Safe Roads Wanted Movement, Chief Engineer of Roads and Urban Development Department Abdus Sabur, and Additional IGP of Highway Police Mallik Fakhrul Islam took part in the discussion.
