The government has made installation of global positioning system (GPS) mandatory for all motor vehicles as part of an initiative to prevent carjacking and ensure road safety.
The decision came at an inter-ministerial meeting on road safety held at the Secretariat yesterday.
"It is yet to be decided from when the decision will be enforced and which companies would be allowed to operate and monitor the system. The BRTA would make it public through a circular," said Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder after the meeting.
He said it would cost Tk 10,000 to 12,000 to install a GPS unit in any vehicle and the user will have to pay Tk 300 to 500 per month to the GPS service provider.
GPS entails an electronic device installed in a vehicle to enable the owner or a third party to track a vehicle through satellite.
"All trucks, covered vans, private cars and CNG-run auto-rickshaws must have GPS units for knowing their locations while plying," the home secretary told The Daily Star.
A number of vehicle owners, however, opposed the government decision.
"It is I to decide whether I would use the GPS or not. The government cannot impose it on us," said a vehicle owner requesting anonymity.
Some other owners speculated that the GPS could rather bring horrid results if any group uses the technology with an ill motive. Any criminal group can pinpoint their targets through tracking their vehicles, they observed.
Asked the home secretary said, "GPS is almost a new technology for the country and before enforcing the decision of enforcing it, measures would be taken to check its negative impacts."
Another car user alleged that the decision of introducing GPS in vehicles might be the brain child of a sector of businessmen and some high-ups of the government, who want to earn brisk profit from the technology.
According to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), there are 15,04,897 registered vehicles in the country as of February 22 this year.
Police sources said several private companies like GrameenPhone, Banglalink, NITS Service Pvt Ltd, a sister concern of Nitol-Niloy Group, Monico Ltd, Nexdecade Technologies Ltd have already been providing GPS supports at a small scale by obtaining licenses from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
More than 30,000 vehicles, including of different donors agencies, NGOs, corporate houses like telecom operators, banks, insurers and garment factories, have already adopted the GPS technology, said the police sources.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police headquarters has a monitoring tool by which they can trace a stolen vehicle with GPS, the sources added.
Additional Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque said, "There are always criticisms against any decision meant for the welfare of the people."
"Every month, around 50 to 60 vehicles are stolen or hijacked in the capital. If the system is implemented, the incident of carjacking will drastically reduce," he said.
The home secretary said all drivers and helpers have to submit their resume along with their photographs to vehicle owners.
After the meeting, Home Minister Sahara Khatun told reporters that a syndicate is involved in hijacking goods-laden trucks. "A crackdown on the syndicate will soon be launched," she added.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku and leaders of Trucks and Bus Owners Association were also present at the meeting.
The bus and truck owners asked for measures so that passengers are not carried in trucks while buses are not used for transportation of goods during the Eid rush.
The meeting also asked the authorities concerned to repair the damaged roads before the Eid.
Source : The Daily Star
