20-Year-Old Buses Must Be Withdrawn From City Streets: Saber

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Affairs Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said that buses which seem to be 20 years old, which have exceeded their economic life, should be withdrawn from the city streets aiming to check air pollution, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said on Sunday (March 31). 

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) will send the list of such buses by April 8, and then the Transport Owners Association will provide a plan to withdraw those buses by April 20.

The minister said this in an exchange of views at the secretariat on Sunday.

The meeting also discussed on the control of air pollution caused by black smoke from public transport and not keeping construction materials in the open and burning of biomass waste. Saber Chowdhury urged the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation to stop the import of diesel with sulfur, stating that no compromise would be made for the greater national interest.

He said, "The city corporation will take measures to ensure that waste is not burnt in the open."

“Rajuk, City Corporation, Police Department will ensure that construction materials are covered during construction. Companies that fail to meet RAJUK's environmental pollution control conditions will see their construction activity permissions revoked, he emphasized.”

Md Nabirul Islam, secretary of Ministry of Housing & Public Works; Iqbal Abdullah Harun, additional secretary of Ministry of Environment, Forest and  Climate Change; Nur Mohammad Mazumder, chairman of BRTA; government officials concerned; and passenger welfare asocial representatives, among others, were present.