Road accident cases
Law soon to ensure speedy trial: Minister
Staff Reporter
Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said that a new law is in the offing to try cases related to deaths in road crashes. He said the government is in the process of enacting the new law that will ensure speedy trials of the cases.
Huq said the law ministry has vetted the proposed Road Transport Act and forwarded it to the ministry concerned.
It is scheduled to be placed in the cabinet meeting on Monday for approval. The proposed law will cover many aspects that were never addressed earlier, he added.
Road accidents are currently increasing across the country. Those responsible should be awarded exemplary punishment through speedy trial to ensure justice, the minister told reporters at the secretariat.
He also said that a speedy trial would be held into the road deaths of two students and exemplary punishment would be given to the culprits.
Various types of road accidents are now taking place. We tried to find out the reasons behind this. We tried to identify whether the incidents were occurring because of road condition, lack of vehicle fitness, movement of pedestrians, and absence of enough legal provisions to check such incidents and also if there is any other loophole, he said.
Asked why the vetting of the much awaited Act has been done only after the recent road deaths, Huq said the matter was coincidental.
Look, I lost my wife in a similar incident in 1991. So, I know very well how the families of the deceased are feeling right now. From my personal experience, I can say I am very much saddened by that incident. The government will do everything needed to ensure that such things are not repeated in future, he added.
The minister also conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families of the students.
On Sunday, two students of SRCC Abdul Karim (16) and Dia Khanam Mim (15)were run over by a speeding bus on Airport Road in Dhaka. Twelve others were injured in the accident.
Police said the two students were killed on the spot when a Jabal-e-Noor bus ploughed through a crowd while competing with another bus of the same company. It was later revealed that a third bus was also involved in the race. All the three driversnone of whom have professional driving licenceswere arrested on Monday.
Following the deaths, thousands of students have been demonstrating on the streets for the past four days to demand safer roads, student-friendly transport system and exemplary punishment for the culprits.
