The Bangladesh government is poised to introduce comprehensive speed regulations for vehicles traversing the nation’s roads.
A draft proposal, forwarded by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), awaits review by the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges.
Following a recent meeting on May 2 focusing on highway safety, the BRTA plans to roll out speed limit notifications imminently.
Under the proposed policy, highways will enforce speed limits of 80kmph for cars, buses, and minibuses, 60kmph for motorbikes, and 50kmph for trucks.
Within city corporations, municipalities, and district towns, motorcycles and trucks will be restricted to 30kmph, while other vehicles can travel at a maximum of 40kmph.
Violating the speed limits outlined in the Road Transport Act of 2018 carries penalties of up to three months’ imprisonment, a Tk 10,000 fine, or both.
BRTA Chairman, Noor Mohammad Majumder, emphasized the alignment of speed limits with road types, as mandated by the Road Transport Act of 2018.
Additional speed restrictions will be implemented in areas with high population density, public movement, educational institutions, marketplaces, and office courts.
Local government bodies, including city corporations, municipalities, and the Bangladesh Roads and Highways Department, will play a pivotal role in establishing road-specific speed guidelines.
This initiative follows earlier efforts, including the National Road Safety Council’s 2015 decision to cap highway speeds at 80kmph. Plans to install speed governors in vehicles, proposed during a council meeting chaired by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, were not realized.
