Only two women in Bangladesh took licences for driving heavy vehicles and two others for driving medium vehicles all over the country, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority chairman Mohammad Ayubur Rahman Khan said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a function for promoting women in driving profession he said that 2,37,000 men took licences for driving heavy vehicles, like buses and trucks and 67,000 others had the licences to drive medium vehicles like mini buses, pickups vans and small trucks.
At the function jointly organised by BRTA and BRAC he also gave away driving licences to 21 women on completion of their eight-week driving training.
Out of 5,50,00 license issued for driving private cars, jeeps and microbuses about 10,000 women took them, he said.
BRTA’s engineering department director Mohammad Saiful Hoque told New Age that vehicles with carrying capacity between three and five tonnes, were heavy vehicles and medium vehicles can carry three tonnes and those carrying less then three tonnes were light vehicles.
He said that five to six thousand women took licences for riding motor bi8kes.
He said BRTA issued a total of 9,49,000 licenses to motorbike riders.
Some speakers said that female driver often face harassment from male drivers on the roads.
Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation’s general secretary Osman Ali told New Age that women could drive BRTC buses and other buses in the city between 6 AM to 8 Pm.
He said suggested leaving the job of driving vehicles of different offices to women drivers.
He asked the government to take proper initiative to provide driving training tro women, who constituted 50 per cent of the population.
With women at the wheels it would be safer for women and families to go on outing in public and private transports from 6 AM to 8 PM, he said.
According to BRTA website there were 17,51,834 motor vehicles in the country as on August 5, 2012.
-With New Age input
