UNB, Dhaka :
The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the ‘Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Bill, 2015’, seeking to
further develop the country’s road transport system and make it more efficient.
The approval, subject to the vetting of the Law Ministry, came from the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said the
legal base of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority is not so strong since the road transport-related activities are currently being operated in line with the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1983. But, considering the development of the transport sector over the years, the proposed law has been framed as a comprehensive one to give a strong legal base to the BRTA operation.
The proposed draft law comprises 28 sections, 72 sub-sections, formation of the Authority, formation of the Advisory Council under it, its functions, goals, objectives, authority for forming different committees, budget, accounts and audit.
Besides, a provision has been kept for setting up a company under the law in the future. “The main objectives of the law is to make the country’s road transport system more planned, technology-based, sustainable, environment-friendly and skilled,” added the Cabinet Secretary.
The Road Transport Minister will be the head of the Advisory Council while the BRTA chairman will act as the chairman of the Board of Directors for overseeing the operations side.
The Cabinet meeting also approved the draft of ‘Paira Port Project (land acquisition) Bill, 2015’ subject to the vetting of the Law Ministry incorporating a special provision for speedily compensation of the affected land owners.
The proposed law has been drafted in line with the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project Land Acquisition Act, 2009 and Dhaka Elevated Expressway Land Acquisition Act, 2011. Under the proposed law, the Cabinet Secretary said, an overriding provision has been incorporated for providing speedy compensation to the affected land owners. Under this, the Deputy Commissioner concerned or his or her office would give the compensation to the affected land owners within 60 days upon the receipt of the amount by the Deputy Commissioner from the acquiring agency.
If anyone builds any structure with an ill-motive or against people’s interest changing the classification of land like turning farmland into commercial land, then he or she would not get the compensation.
If such things happen, then the Deputy Commissioner could refute the demand of compensation while the refused compensation seeker could appeal before the Deputy Commissioner within seven days.
The Deputy Commissioner could dispose of the appeal within five days and then could take actions in the next 24 hours.
Besides, the draft law has been also reinforced through usage of the video footage of the land for providing compensation. The Cabinet meeting also approved in principle the draft of the ‘Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship Trust Bill, 2015’ for forming a trust fund to make the operations of the trust sustainable.
The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the ‘Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Bill, 2015’, seeking to
further develop the country’s road transport system and make it more efficient.
The approval, subject to the vetting of the Law Ministry, came from the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said the
legal base of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority is not so strong since the road transport-related activities are currently being operated in line with the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1983. But, considering the development of the transport sector over the years, the proposed law has been framed as a comprehensive one to give a strong legal base to the BRTA operation.
The proposed draft law comprises 28 sections, 72 sub-sections, formation of the Authority, formation of the Advisory Council under it, its functions, goals, objectives, authority for forming different committees, budget, accounts and audit.
Besides, a provision has been kept for setting up a company under the law in the future. “The main objectives of the law is to make the country’s road transport system more planned, technology-based, sustainable, environment-friendly and skilled,” added the Cabinet Secretary.
The Road Transport Minister will be the head of the Advisory Council while the BRTA chairman will act as the chairman of the Board of Directors for overseeing the operations side.
The Cabinet meeting also approved the draft of ‘Paira Port Project (land acquisition) Bill, 2015’ subject to the vetting of the Law Ministry incorporating a special provision for speedily compensation of the affected land owners.
The proposed law has been drafted in line with the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project Land Acquisition Act, 2009 and Dhaka Elevated Expressway Land Acquisition Act, 2011. Under the proposed law, the Cabinet Secretary said, an overriding provision has been incorporated for providing speedy compensation to the affected land owners. Under this, the Deputy Commissioner concerned or his or her office would give the compensation to the affected land owners within 60 days upon the receipt of the amount by the Deputy Commissioner from the acquiring agency.
If anyone builds any structure with an ill-motive or against people’s interest changing the classification of land like turning farmland into commercial land, then he or she would not get the compensation.
If such things happen, then the Deputy Commissioner could refute the demand of compensation while the refused compensation seeker could appeal before the Deputy Commissioner within seven days.
The Deputy Commissioner could dispose of the appeal within five days and then could take actions in the next 24 hours.
Besides, the draft law has been also reinforced through usage of the video footage of the land for providing compensation. The Cabinet meeting also approved in principle the draft of the ‘Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship Trust Bill, 2015’ for forming a trust fund to make the operations of the trust sustainable.
