Communications Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday gave a two-month ultimatum to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Bangladesh Police and the country's district administrations to stop plying of unauthorised vehicles on highways.
He expressed disappointment over failure of the three in stopping battery-run electric rickshaws and shallow machine-run improvised passenger vehicles, commonly known as “Nasimon”, “Karimon” and “Votvoti”, from plying on highways despite repeated directives.
Obaidul gave the ultimatum during a surprise visit to BRTA's Narayanganj office where Narayanganj Superintendent of Police Sheikh Nazmul Alam, Additional Deputy Commission of Narayanganj Mehedi Hasan and senior BRTA officials were present.
“Hundreds of easy-bikes (battery-run electric rickshaws) are running in Narayanganj. It is as if there are factories here producing the vehicles,” he said, suggesting on running mobile courts, if necessary, to stop the practice.
The minister came down heavily on a section of BRTA officials for their involvement in corruption.
“BRTA has become a den for corruption and irregularities,” said Quader, claiming that corruption in BRTA came down by 50 percent through his surprise visits to its offices and his punitive steps against the corrupt.
He became angry on seeing an inspector of BRTA, Abul Bashar, who was recently transferred to the Narayanganj office from the Ekuria office over corruption charges.
“Have you engaged in corruption here too?” he asked.
Calling the BRTA chairman on his cellphone, Obaidul wanted to know why Bashar was posted to an important office like that of Narayanganj and asked for Bashar's transfer to a less important place.
Obaidul also directed Roads and Highways Department officials to recover its land illegally occupied by grabbers.