Dhaka: Buses that are 20 years old cannot ply the roads under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) from the next month.

DSCC with the help of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and the district administration of Dhaka will conduct drives to drive out such vehicles from the city from March.

The decision was taken at a joint meeting chaired by DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon at Dakhin Nagar Bhaban on Wednesday.

Besides, licences of drivers will be checked during the drives which will initially begin any day in March in Gulistan, Motijheel, Paltan, Azimpur and Victoria Park areas.  

Briefing reporters after the joint meeting, the DSCC mayor said minimum educational qualification for getting a driving licence is Class-VIII. “Drivers who don’t match the criteria won’t be permitted to drive vehicles in the city,” he said.

He also said haphazard parking of vehicles in the streets of Motijheel, Gulistan and Paltan areas will not be allowed, while staff buses must park at designated spots.

About the allegation of extortion on footpaths, Sayeed Khokon said cases have already been filed with Shahbagh, Paltan and Motijheel police stations against 72 extortionists.

Some of them have already been arrested while law enforcers are trying to arrest the rest.