Bangladesh Road Transport Authority was established under section 2A of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance of 1983 and the subsequent 1987 amendment.

It works under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges to carry out the purposes set out for it under the Motor Vehicle Ordinance.

The chairman is in charge of fulfilling the purposes of BRTA as prescribed by the rules and assigned by the government.

The government of Bangladesh has initiated the first-ever specialized road safety project in South Asia.

Supported by $358 million in funding from the World Bank, this project aims to prioritize selected cities, high-risk highways, and district roads in order to minimize road accidents.