Many driving schools run sans approval

DOT Desk
Many driving schools, set up in the capital without approval from the government, are producing a large number of unskilled drivers.
Sources said the driving schools do not follow the rules and regulations on driving, reports the Daily Sun.They said after completing short training, many people drive vehicles on the streets, posing risk of accidents.
A driving school requires the approval of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to run their activities. But the daily sun correspondent found that many driving schools do not have any approval from the Authority.
It was also found that most of the driving schools are using damaged and outdated vehicles to give training to new drivers. Even they do not take any precautionary measure to tackle any accident during training. Most of these driving schools do not have a field for drivers’ training and trainees get their training on streets in the morning.
While visiting Mohammadpur area in the capital, this correspondent saw that drivers of other cars and pedestrians keep a safe distance when they see driving learning cars on the road.
These unauthorised driving schools also assure their trainees of ‘managing driving licences’. Trainees have to pay a little extra for that.
Rafsan Ahmed, owner of a car driving school in the capital, said, “We take 10 to 12 classes during car driving training. We have a very good trainer and after 10-12 classes, a trainee will be able to drive a vehicle.”
“We also provide certificate from our organisation on completion of the course. If anyone wants, we also help them get driving licence,” he added.
A learner, who takes training from a driving school at Rayerbazar, was filling up a form for getting driving licence. He learned to drive from this school.
Talking to the daily sun, he said, “I am taking help from the driving school because I cannot manage time to go to BRTA to get the licence. I have to pay Tk 9,000 for this reason.”
A driving school owner at Banasree said that a driving school needs to show a training field for getting approval. For this reason, training is provided to the new drivers on the streets in the morning, he said.
According to the provision, the trainers must have passed SSC examination. But the trainers are doing the job without such educational qualification, he added.
Ilias Kanchan, chairman of Nirapad Sarak Chai, a movement for road safety, has alleged that most of the schools in Dhaka do not follow the rules and regulations.
“Those who need to learn driving go to these schools without knowing whether the driving schools have approval from the authorities or not. Driving schools are also taking this opportunity,” he added.
He also said many people claim themselves as drivers if they can move the car backward or forward.
Many driving schools are leaving these new drivers on the streets by giving training for only 15 days to one month.
BRTA Director (engineering) Nurul Islam said sometimes actions are taken against these unauthorised driving schools through mobile courts.
He said BRTA often publishes notices on various daily newspapers, urging people to take permission from it to operate such driving schools. But the response is very poor, he said.