Staff Reporter :
Warning that the government may take stand after a week long protest by students demanding safer roads, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Sunday that action would be taken if the limit is exceeded.
The Home Minister made the statement while launching a nationwide ‘Traffic Week’ on GPO intersection in Gulistan.
On the issue of rumour spreading through social media platforms, the minister said, “Social media is plagued by falsehood and rumours. You have all seen and heard how an actress posted a video in facebook with false claims. A vested quarter is carrying out propaganda operation in a bid to divert the path of the student movement.” Kamal said actress Kazi Nawshaba posted fabricated videos on facebook and instigated the students and an “apparently responsible” political leader asked his party men to go to Dhaka from Cumilla and get involved in students’ protest. He said thousands of sets of school dresses were sold out and fake ID cards were produced in the last few days for the infiltrators who joined the protests to create anarchy. Kamal also called on the students to return home and go to classrooms, adding “the Road Safety Act would be submitted in the cabinet meeting on Monday” while the government accepted all of demands of the student protesters. The minister urged all road users to abide by traffic on streets saying a tendency to defy the rules caused frequent road crashes and jam.
“Here we have to enforce the traffic laws,” said Inspector General of Police Mohammad Javed Patwary. “The law is meant to be followed, not enforced.”
“As I said previously, efforts are being made to misdirect the student protests. You are seeing thousands wearing student ID cards around their necks. But many of them are adults, not schoolchildren.”
“Police will remain firm on enforcing the law,” said Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia. “But our behaviour can be flexible.” Amid the growing student movement over a nine-point demand, DMP commissioner Asaduzzaman Miaon Saturday announced to observe the Traffic Week across the country.
