Cabinet passes bus rapid transit bill
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Dhaka: The cabinet on Monday approved in principle the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Bill keeping a provision of Tk 50 lakh as fine or 10 years’ imprisonment or both for various offences on the route as the highest punishment.
This is going to be the first-ever bus rapid transit route in the country.
The cabinet gave the approval at its regular weekly meeting held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed reporters after the meeting.
The proposed law will regulate the BRT system designed to reduce traffic jam in capital Dhaka and adjacent areas through a dedicated bus route with the capacity to transport 40,000 passengers an hour on Gazipur-Airport- Jhilmil route.
If anyone operates bus through the rapid transit line without having licence, if anyone hands over the licence without prior approval or if anyone produces tickets without permission will face a fine of Tk 50 lakh or 10 years’ imprisonment or both.
If any BRT employee involved in producing illegal tickets he or she will face Tk 5 lakh as fine or two years’ imprisonment.
The proposed law also has the provision for the formation of an authority to fix bus fares on the route.