Registration of bikes without driving licence allowed till 14 Dec

In view of requests from the motorcycle industry, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) announced it would continue motorcycle registrations without an owner's driving licence till 14 December.

The learner licence, however, will remain mandatory and the authority will ask for a new motorcycle owner's driving licence during registration from 15 December this year, it said on Wednesday.

Motorcycle industry insiders said without buying and registering a motorcycle, it was not possible to learn how to drive it. 

They instead suggested proper enforcement of the Road Transportation Act and speed limits, alongside conducting training programmes on safety, awareness programmes against reckless driving and ensuring use of safety gears.

Many have already taken the steps on their own initiative.

Bangladesh Honda has trained two of its employees in Japan to conduct safety trainings and awareness programmes, according to Shah Muhammad Ashequr Rahman, the chief financial officer of Bangladesh Honda Private Limited.

His company, along with other industry players, are preparing to extend safe riding practices and awareness programmes across the country.

Driving licence holders make up a meagre portion of the annual two wheeler market in the country as most are first time buyers.

Earlier, the BRTA asked motorcycle sellers not to sell bikes to any customer who does not have a driving licence. 

The Bangladesh Motorcycle Assemblers and Manufacturers Association then requested the authorities not to go ahead with the plan.

The BRTA on Wednesday requested sellers to refrain from selling to customers without a driver's licence after mid-December.

Limiting motorcycle sales to only licensed drivers would drastically shrink the market, industry insiders fear.