Driving licence mandatory to buy motorbike from September

A driving licence will be mandatory to buy a motorcycle from September this year.

The government took the decision in a bid to curb road accidents, according to a notice issued by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), reports bdnews24.com.

The driving licence has also been made mandatory for the registration of the motorcycle.

“A seller must ensure that a customer has a minimum trainee driving licence during motorcycle sale for road safety,” the BRTA said.

At present, one has to get a learner’s licence first from the local BRTA office or online by paying some fees, and then the authorities give him or her two or three months to take written, verbal and practical tests. A licence is issued if he or she passes the tests.

But the process usually takes a long time, sometimes a year, to complete, creating scope for brokers to take advantage of the situation.

The process is not hassle-free and the brokers in league with some dishonest BRTA officials provide the driving licence faster in return for money.