The difference between the number of registered motorcycles and actual bike-license holders is growing due to the lack of proper monitoring by the authorities. The difference was around 11 lakh in September 2018, and it rose to 13 lakh in three and a half years. While the government is playing a role in raising the number of bikes on roads by reducing registration fees, a move by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority to ensure licenses for new bikers did not see the light of day, as it faced opposition from bike importers and manufacturers.
The absence of adequate public transport, hike of bus fares, and traffic congestion are pushing people to buy two-wheelers, which are considered a risky mode of transport. In this situation, the number of deaths involving bike accidents has risen sharply, which was evident during the Eid rush. But BRTA, the government’s regulatory body for vehicles, is allegedly just publishing some advertisements in newspapers to create awareness about how to prevent bike accidents.
According to BUET’S Accident Research Institute (ARI), at least 1,168 people were killed in 994 road crashes involving bikes last year. The numbers are set to jump even higher this year. There is a direct link between the number of motorcycles and road accidents. If the number of bikes increases further, road crashes would too, for sure. Besides, non-registered motorbikes are abundant in district and upazila levels, indicating that the number of bikers without licenses could be even greater.
To ensure that every new biker has a driving license, BRTA around three years ago proposed to make the license mandatory to buy bikes, but it could not take the decision in the face of opposition from bike importers and manufacturers. The government’s wrong policy is responsible for increasing the number of bikes and road accidents. We must say things could not go like this and we need to restore a system which will ensure affordable public transport for all and reduce dependence on the two-wheelers.
