DHAKA, Sept 4, 2026 (BSS) - Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) will take legal action if any vehicle emitting black smoke is found on city streets.

The drives against vehicles, which emit black smoke, have been intensified. Following this, the DMP traffic department has filed 915 cases against vehicles emitting black smoke in July, DMP Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anisur Rahman told BSS.

He said vehicles emitting black smoke are constantly plying in the capital. 

"However, it is not the responsibility of the traffic police to ensure the fitness of the vehicles. The traffic police basically take legal action if the law is violated," he said.

Every year the vehicles get fitness certificates from Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Anisur said, adding that black smoke usually comes out when there is a problem with the car's engine.
 
"Again, even if the fuel quality is not good, the engine can be damaged quickly...traffic police are regularly prosecuting vehicles that emit black smoke. While it is possible to provide statistics on cases, just publishing statistics will not solve the problem."

He said public health as well as the environment is being affected due to black smoke.
 
"The biggest victim is the traffic police because they have to be on the roads for a long time to fulfill their duties. As a result, they have to stay in black smoke all the time.
 
"It irritates the eyes and inhalation of smoke can cause harm to lungs. Ordinary people can leave after being on the streets for a while. But the traffic police do not have that opportunity while performing their duties. As a result, one has to work in black smoke for a long time," he said.

Anisur also said cases are being regularly filed against vehicles emitting black smoke but there are many cars which are not maintained properly despite being sued multiple times. 

He said in July, 915 cases were registered against vehicles emitting black smoke and most of these vehicles were buses and covered vans.
 
No separate device is required to identify black smoke emitting vehicles in the country as the cars that emit excess black smoke are easily visible, he continued. 

"For this reason, action is being taken against vehicles emitting black smoke by looking at the smoke with eyes under the Road Transport Act," he said.

The DMP additional commissioner said the traffic police work in coordination with the BRTA and the Department of Environment (DoE).
 
Checkposts are operated jointly at various times, he said, adding when checkposts are installed, sometimes the vehicles emitting black smoke are hidden in different places instead of on the roads. 

Once the checkpost is over, these vehicles start moving on the roads again, he added.