Truckers asked to remove illegal bumpers

The government has asked truck operators to remove all the illegal parts, including extra bumpers, from their vehicles within the end of November for safety purposes.

The directive came during an inter-ministerial meeting at the conference room of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges yesterday.

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Most of the truck operators have “modified” the original structure of their vehicles by illegally including extra bumper, “side angle” and “hook” for carrying more weight. Such “modification” increases the risks of accidents and damages roads. So, the meeting decided that those illegal parts have to be removed within November 30.

Chaired by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, the meeting was organised to discuss ways to prevent the operation of overloaded cargo vehicles.

The meeting, however, could not reach any decision on the maximum weight limit for six-wheeler trucks. 

A committee, headed by State Minister for LGRD Moshiur Rahman Ranga, is working to set the limit. The committee will submit its repot soon and the government would act upon it, said Quader.

Prime movers or four-axle truck, having 14 wheels, are allowed to carry maximum 32 tonnes of goods.

But they will be allowed to carry maximum 42 tonnes if they add one additional axle or four more wheels, he told reporters after the meeting.

The minister then gave a six-month ultimatum to the owners to add the axle.

Prime Mover-Trailer Malik Sramik Oikya Parishad enforced a five-day strike from September 26, protesting their “harassment by government staff in the name of controlling the operation of overloaded vehicles on highways.”

They postponed the strike on September 30 on assurance that the issue would be resolved.

On October 4, another inter-ministerial meeting, chaired by Quader, was held but it could not reach any decision.

The owners association withdrew the strike following yesterday's meeting.

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Railways Minister Mazibul Hoque, Food Minister Qamrul Islam, Chittagong City Corporation Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, senior police officials, representatives from different owners and workers associations of the road transport sector, among others, attended the meeting.