Live Correspondnt: Motorcycles will be allowed to run on the Padma Bridge from April 20. The Bridges Division secretary and Monjur Hossain confirmed the information to New Age on Tuesday. Motorcycles would be allowed to run on the bridge until further notice, he said.

‘The decision has been taken by the directive of the prime minister Sheikh Hasina,’ he said, adding, ‘it is a eid gift for people.’

Earlier the road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader briefed journalists about the decision on the same day.

Md Monjur Hossain said that motorcycles would be allowed to run on the bridge from 6:00am on April 20 through two service lanes on both sides of the bridge.

‘Motorcyclists will have to pay tolls,’ he said and added that they would try to keep one booth at the toll plazas only for the motorcyclists.

‘We have allowed motorcycles on the bridge without any deadline. But if this creates any problem, we will again put ban on motorcycles,’ he added.

Two motorcyclists were killed in an accident and 60 per cent of the 61,836 vehicles crossed the Padma Bridge on June 26 were motorcycles when the bridge was opened to traffic in 2022. The authorities on the same day banned motorcycles on the bridge until further order.

In 2022, the government also banned motorcycles on highways and inter-district roads across the country to prevent traffic accidents during Eid-ul-Azha.

But this year the government decided to allow the movement of motorcycles on the highways during the Eid-ul-Fitr.

In recent years, fatal road crashes involving motorcycles have continued to increase and remain high on the crash charts following an increase in the number of the vehicles by about 441 per cent in 12 years in the country.

Road Safety Foundation on April 5 published a report saying that at least 564 people were killed and 1,097 more were injured in 486 road crashes in March.

In the period, the highest 179 or 36.8 per cent crashes were motorcycle related which killed the highest 194 or 34.3 per cent of the victims, the report added.

On April 5, another report, published by Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh said that at least 938 people were killed and 1,138 others were injured in 487 road accidents across Bangladesh in March.

In the period, the highest 152 or 31.2 per cent crashes were involved with motorcycles which killed the highest number, 163, or 30.2 per cent of the victims, the report said.