‘57.52 lakh registered vehicles in country’

City Desk :
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the number of motor vehicles currently registered in the country is around 57.52 lakh while the number of issued driving licence is 59.46 lakh.

The minister said this in Parliament on the fourth instant while replying to a tabled question from ruling Awami League MP, M Abdul Latif from Chattogram-11.

In response to another question of M Abdul Latif, Obaidul Quader said, according to the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), there is a commitment to unconditionally reduce 3.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector by 2030, reports UNB.

“For this purpose, at least 30 percent of the vehicles used in the road transport sector should be converted to electric category within that period,” he added.

Noting that the use of electric vehicles is gradually increasing in Bangladesh like the rest of the world, the minister said that although the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) operation will begin initially with diesel-powered buses, the BRT will be operated gradually by collecting the maximum number of electric-powered buses in order to reduce carbon emissions.

In response to the question of M Abdul Latif, Railways Minister Nurul Islam said that there are about 20,000 vacant posts in various categories in railways.

In the last nine months, 2,880 people have been appointed in various categories in railways.

He also said that manpower crisis in railway will be resolved soon.