60-hour training mandatory for driving license: BRTA chairman

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Chairman Abu Momtaz Saad Uddin Ahmed today said no one will be issued a driving license without completing mandatory 60 hours of training.

“From now on, 60 hours of mandatory training must be completed to obtain a driving license, as the government has taken the initiative to ensure international standard licenses,” he said.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of a driving training programme for master instructors at Alampur BRTC Bus Depot and Training Centre here, he said training activities have started nationwide following the instruction of the Road Transport and Bridges Adviser.

Illustrating road accidents, the chairman said, “Motorcycles are involved in about 73 percent of total road accidents in the country. For this reason, everyone should use quality, BRTA-approved helmets.”

Regarding delays in issuing smart cards for licenses, he said, “It is true that issuing smart cards takes time. However, e-licenses were issued on time according to the rules, so users can carry out all kinds of government and legal work with them.”

He added that BRTA published a notice about the e-license and instructed government institutions and police departments to accept it.

Explaining the reason for the delay in card distribution, he said that a contract with a company in Madras, India, to print smart cards expired in July this year, and BRTA did not extend it because the company did not fulfill the contract terms.

BRTA Director (Operations) Meer Ahemed Tariqul Omar told BSS that master instructor training has started today across the country.

“The BRTA aims to train 150 master instructors nationwide, who will then train people to obtain driving licenses,” he said.