DHAKA, April 17, 2022 (BSS) - Senior Vice President of the Federation of 
Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Mostafa Azad Chowdhury 
Babu today urged the government for putting the construction and repair work 
of roads on hold for 14 days before and after the Holy Eid ul Fitr.

He made the call to alleviate the sufferings of the homegoers at the first 
meeting of the FBCCI Standing Committee on Transport and Communications 
(Railways, Roads and Highways) held today at the FBCCI Bhaban in the capital, 
said a press release.

Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, the senior vice-president said 
that the speed of vehicles slows down due to repair and construction work on 
roads and highways resulting in huge traffic jams. 

Therefore, he urged the government to postpone the construction work from 
April 27 to May 10 to make the Eid journey smoother. He also called for the 
deployment of highway police at heavy traffic zones.

Babu said that the higher authority of the Bangladesh Police should take 
strict action to stop alleged extortion on the roads and highways. 

He informed the meeting that the FBCCI would send a letter to the Minister of 
Home Affairs and IGP requesting to stop extortion.

The senior vice-president also called for increasing the number of ferries 
and ferry trips to cut short the long queue of the buses and trucks at Mawa 
and Aricha ferry ghats.

Earlier, raising the issue of the financial loss due to traffic jam, FBCCI 
vice-president and director-in-charge of the committee Md. Aminul Haque 
Shamim informed that the heavy jam at Tongi costs financial loss worth Taka 
10 crore daily.

Shamim also urged the government not to impose any further tax or duty on 
tires, tubes and other parts in the next financial year's budget.

Identifying the public transport sector as the most affected sector during 
the pandemic, President of the Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners Association and 
Chairman of the committee Ramesh Chandra Ghosh called for policy protection 
for the next three years.

Other members of the committee said that the longevity of vehicles is being 
declined due to the potholes and broken roads. To reduce traffic congestion 
and bring discipline to the roads, integrated transport management system and 
decentralization of services and proper implementation of BRTA are stressed 
at the meeting. 

They also demanded of the government to stop bribery and extortion in the 
name of fitness certificates.

FBCCI director Bijoy Kumar Kejriwal, former director Abdul Haque, secretary 
general Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, standing committee co-chairmen Eng. Md. 
Jahangir Alam, M. Humayun Kabir, Faruk Talukder Sohel, Engr. Golam Kabir, G. 
Rahman Shohid, Bazlur Rahman Ratan, among others, were present at the 
meeting.