Bangladesh’s cabinet has approved changes to its traffic law after students protest entered a ninth day over the death of two teenagers who were killed by a speeding bus in the capital city of Dhaka.
The cabinet has approved changing the maximum jail time for rash driving deaths in the country from three years to five, reported Reuters.
"As per the proposed law, an accused has to face five years of jail for negligent driving (leading to death)," said law minister Anisul Huq, adding that death sentence will be given to those who deliberately run over people.
Protests demanding changes to transport laws followed the July 29 deaths of two students, who were killed after the driver of a privately owned bus ran over a group of students.
The demonstrations turned violent after some university students threw bricks at police officials and police fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse protesters.
Asaduzzaman Khan, Bangladesh’s minister for home affairs, however, denied using violence to quell dissent.
“We have repeatedly accepted the demands of the school and college students for better road safety conditions, and we have asked them to go back to their homes as we have started to implement their demands,” he told the New York Times.
The United Nations has expressed its concern over the crackdown.
“We are deeply concerned about the reports of violence and call on all for calm. The concerns expressed by youth about road safety are legitimate and a solution is needed for a mega city like Dhaka. A functioning public transport system should ensure the safety of all, including children, young girls and women,” the UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh, Mia Seppo, said in a statement posted on Twitter.
