Jatri Kalyan Samity demands Tk20 lakh for families of road crash victims
They urged the government to form a fund to provide this financial assistance
Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity – a passengers' welfare platform – has demanded the Road Transport Policy include the provision of Tk20 lakh financial assistance to the families of individuals killed in road accidents.
The platform also urged the government to form a fund to provide financial assistance or compensation to road accident victims.
Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, general secretary of the Jatri Kalyan Samity, stated the demand at a press conference at the Bangladesh Crime Reporters' Association on Monday.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
He said, "We have come to know that the government is going to formulate a new Road Transport Policy with the provision of Tk3 lakh for those injured and Tk5 lakh for the families of those deceased [in road accidents] – which is insufficient for the victims."
"So, we demand the inclusion of Tk5 lakh assistance for those injured and Tk20 lakh for the deceased's family," he added.
In the written statement, Mozammel said the Road Transport Act 2018 has been in force since November 2019, through which jail time and fines are being levied. However, road accident victims are being deprived of getting assistance or compensation.
As the board of trustees has not been formed to provide financial help, the victims of road accidents are not getting compensation of financial assistance, Mozammel said.
He also urged the government to quickly formulate a passenger-friendly Road Transport Policy and form a trusted board to handle the financial assistance fund.
The fines that are levied on the vehicle owners could be deposited in the fund, he said.
