Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday said he will send recommendations to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges to amend sections of the Road Transport Act-2018 that the transport workers find objectionable. He also said that drivers will get till June 2020 to obtain / renew their licences and the new law will be implemented in a rational manner until then. The minister told this to reporters after a meeting with Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation over their demands of amending the Act. Around 30 leaders led by Shajahan Khan, executive

president of the federation, took part in the meeting that started at the home minister’s Dhanmondi residence around 9:10pm and ended around 11:40pm. After the meeting, the home minister told reporters that the government will show lenience in implementing the new law but no driver holding fake licences will be spared.

Shajahan Khan, in his reaction after the meeting, said the transport workers will not go into any movement right now as the minister has placed due importance to their demands.

The took place amid unrest among transport workers over the implementation of the new law from November 17, about two weeks after the law formally came into effect.

A wildcat strike by transport workers in different districts crippled the countrywide transport network demanding amendments to the law. The strike was called off on Thursday following assurance from the home minister to meet their demands. The 'Road Transport Bill-2018' was passed in parliament on September 19 last year with provision for maximum five years' jail for any death or serious injury caused by reckless driving.