About 500 city driving schools without approval
Various driving schools in the city are charging money from the trainees for obtaining driving licences from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority. But the BRTA’s officials claimed that they were unaware of the situation.
According to them the fee for the non-professional licence’s fee, valid for ten years, is Tk 1,700, and for the professional driving licence, valid for five years, Tk 1,100.
Both the categories of drivers, after getting learner’s licence from the authority, have to pass the written, oral and practical examinations to get the final licences.
It was found that many driving schools were demanding Tk 4,500 to 7,500 to get a licence from the BRTA on the grounds that getting licence was very difficult and time-consuming.
Mohammad Lutfor Rahman Badshah, director of the Uttar Banga Driving School on Sat Masjid Road, said that they train learners to be both professional and non-professional drivers.
‘You just take the BRTA’s examination for getting driving licence and if you fail, do not worry. We will get you your licence,’ he said frankly.
He charges Tk 7,500 for a non-professional and Tk 6,500 for a professional licence. The charge for training ranges from Tk 3,200 to 7,500.
Abir Driving School’s proprietor, Mohammad Barkat-i-Khoda Bakir, takes Tk 7,000 for a non-professional licence and Tk 6,000 for a professional licence.
Mohammad Asaduz-zaman Tutul, director of Green Technical, charges Tk 6,500 for a non-professional and Tk 6,000 for a professional driving licence.
Macadam Driving School, which is recognised by the government, charges Tk 4,500 and Tk 3,700 for non-professional and professional driving licences respectively.
All the aforementioned schools said they also provide the learner’s licence which is valid for three months.
Assistant Professor Mohammad Mahbub of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology’s Accident Research Institute, said that there are about 500 driving schools in the city which do not have the government’s approval.
The private driving schools also do not follow the age qualification, which is 18 years minimum for learners seeking non-professional, and 20 for those seeking professional, licences.
BRTA engineering department’s director, Mohammad Saiful Hoque, claimed that he had no idea that such chicanery was going on in the obtaining of licences.
‘Maybe some schools are indulging in such a dishonest practice,’ he said, ‘but if someone fails to pass the exam she or he won’t get a licence.’
He also said the BRTA also provides driving licences for learners, and that only 27 driving schools in the city are recognised by the government.
‘I will try to take necessary action against the schools which are charging so much money for licences which, obviously, they obtain in an underhand manner,’ he said.
‘It is totally false that if someone fails in our examination he or she still gets a licence,’ said Mohammad Mobarak Hossain, the member-secretary of the Driving Competency Board and motor vehicle inspector, who is responsible for giving the final examination.
-With New Age input
