Quader faces the music at parliament

Opposition lawmaker Mujibul Haque Chunnu yesterday in parliament criticised Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, for the recent frequent incidents of road accidents in different parts of the country.

Speaking on a point of order at yesterday's House session, the Jatiya Party MP demanded that the minister come up with a statement in the parliament under section 300 of rules of procedure of parliament, on the government's steps to ensure safety on roads.

The former state minister claimed there are around 18 lakh illegal vehicles in the country, which are operated by a section of law enforcement agencies.

He said there are 38 lakh registered vehicles in the country. But the number of drivers having licences is 18 lakh, meaning that “fake” drivers are running those illegal vehicles.

He also said law enforcement agencies, who are responsible to oversee respective laws and rules to ensure road safety in the country, are owners of those illegal vehicles in many cases. That's why law couldn't be implemented properly.

He wanted to know from the minister what the government is doing in this regard.

 “People are panicked due to frequent road accidents. It seems there is no one to look after the matter,” Chunnu said. 

Citing a report of World Health Organization, he said there is no road sign in 62 percent roads in the country.

He also said the prime minister's five-point directive to ensure road safety is yet to be implemented.

4 STANDING COMMITTES FORMED

The Jatiya Sangsad last night constituted four more parliamentary standing committees -- on ministries of education, environment, Liberation War affairs and shipping.

Chief Whip Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury placed separate proposals over the formations, which were passed by voice vote.

Awami League MPs Md Afsarul Amin (Chattogram-10) was made chairman of the committee on education ministry; Saber Hossain Chowdhury (Dhaka-9) will head the committee on environment, forest and climate change; Shajahan Khan (Madaripur-2) was made chairman of the committee on Liberation War affairs; Maj (retd) Rafiqul Islam will lead the committee on shipping.