Govt sets 30kmph speed limit for bikes; stakeholders fear adverse impacts
Violating the speed limit would cause actions to be taken under the Road Transport Act 2018, which is up to three months of imprisonment or a Tk10,000 fine or both
The government has set the maximum speed limit for motorcycles and trucks at 30 kilometres per hour (kmph) within cities and towns. Other vehicles are allowed to go up to 40 kmph in these areas.
While stakeholders welcomed the government move, they have raised doubt about its implementation and feared potential negative effects, including increase in accidents.
"The intention of authority is good but it is an unscientific decision," opined Professor Md Hadiuzzaman, former director of the Accident Research Institute of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
He highlighted the lack of designated lanes for different vehicles, making it difficult to enforce varying speed limits on the same roads.
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This, he feared, could lead to more crashes as faster vehicles might rear-end slower motorcycles.
Also, Professor Hadiuzzaman suggests implementing lane-based traffic systems before introducing such speed limitations.
The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) issued "Motor Vehicle Speed Limit Guideline-2024" on Wednesday, aiming to reduce road accident deaths by half by 2030.
On national highways, the speed limit for bikes is 50 kmph, while cars, buses, and minibuses can go up to 70kmph. Trucks and lorries are restricted to 45 kmph. The same speed limits apply to district roads.
Expressways and national highways allow private cars, SUVs, minibuses, buses, and other light vehicles to travel at a maximum of 80 kmph. The speed limit for trucks, bikes, and lorries on these roads is 50 kmph.
Stakeholders welcomed the move
Stakeholders welcome the move stating that overspeed is a big cause of road accidents and the number of deaths caused by bike accidents is higher.
However, they worry that the new policy may be difficult to enforce due to lack of separate lanes for different vehicles and weak enforcement of traffic laws.
Saidur Rahman, executive director of Road Safety Foundation, pointed out that Bangladesh lacks proper lane separation, potentially causing confusion and increasing rear-end collisions.
He also expressed concerns about weak law enforcement, making it difficult to implement the new guidelines effectively.
According to the Road Safety Foundation, Road accidents increased significantly in 2023 compared to 2022. In 2023, there were 6,911 road accidents in the country, killing 6,524 people. Motorcycles were involved in 23.04% of accidents last year.
Last April's road accident report said motorcycles were involved in 28.59% of total accidents.
Exemptions and punishment
The guidelines do not apply to emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire services. Three-wheeler vehicles are also prohibited on expressways and national highways.
The guidelines mandate displaying speed limit signs with corresponding vehicle images for different speed zones.
Speed limits displayed on signs in front of hilly areas, curvy roads, bends, bridges, railway or level crossings, road junctions, markets, religious institutions, educational institutions, and hospitals will be applicable.
Road construction companies are responsible for installing these signs based on specific road conditions and accident risks.
"Law enforcers will take action against the violators. Also, the drivers have the responsibility," said BRTA spokesperson Mahbub e Rabbani.
The Road Transport Act 2018 will govern violations of the new speed limits. Offenders could face imprisonment for up to three months, a fine of Tk10,000, or both.
