The government has backtracked on its decision to fix the economic life of buses, minibuses, and goods-laden vehicles as it has suspended a previous notification published in this regard.
The previous notification was published on May 17, fixing the service life of buses and minibuses at 20 years and goods-laden vehicles, including trucks and covered vans, at 25 years. There was no service life fixed for the privately-owned vehicles, including cars and microbuses.
With the aim to reduce the accident rate, ensure safety on the roads, cut environmental pollution and bring disciplines on the roads, the government had fixed the service life of vehicles.
The latest notification, however, said that the decision to fix the service life of vehicles has been postponed on public interests.
The transport owners’ leaders have been calling for the economic life of these two types of vehicles to be 30 years from the beginning. They were saying that if the government's decision is implemented, 65 thousand buses, minibuses, trucks and covered vans will be off road which will compel the transport owners to import vehicles amid the ongoing dollar crunch ahead of the national elections. It would put the government into trouble, they added.
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) in May this year said that vehicles crossing the service life would be sent to dumping stations without any exception. The BRTA offices would not issue fitness certificates to any vehicles exceeding their economic life.
Even the owners of expired vehicles would not be able to register new vehicles in their names until the old ones are scrapped. Those having scrap certificates may get special privileges while registering new vehicles.
BRTA Chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder told The Business Post that the decision on vehicles’ economic life has been made after holding a series of meetings with the organisations of owners of buses and trucks as well as other stakeholders.
The authorities will follow the Motor Vehicle Scrap Policy 2023 to dump and scrap the expired vehicles, which was also issued simultaneously.
