UNB, Dhaka :
Amid the growing middle-class passengers, the country’s private entrepreneurs are increasingly investing in air conditioned (AC) bus services, but they largely fail to keep up with the facilities they promise to the travellers.
The authorities of these AC bus services show utter negligence in the maintenance of their vehicles while the services by the staff are also very poor, travellers complained when this UNB correspondent recently visited several AC bus counters in the capital.
“Passenger seats in most of the AC buses are narrow, unclean and uncomfortable. And even the blankets given to the passengers are dirty that have bad smells,” said frequent traveller Syed Farhad Ullah, a businessman of Chittagong. Besides, he said, the seats very often remain wet as water constantly trickles down from the air cooler. The switches of many mini-bulbs and fans remain out of order in the buses.
The services at the bus counters is also poor as toilets at Hanif Enterprise’s Arambagh counter and Saudia Paribahan’s Panthapath counters were found dirty and unclean spreading bad odor.
The same scenario was found at Green Line’s Razarbagh counter and Shaymoli Paribahan’s Kalyanpur counter.
According to unofficial statistics, there are over 20 AC bus companies in the country with over 250 buses. However, there is no association of AC bus owners. Proper departure schedule is hardly followed for night coaches, though passengers have to arrive at the bus counter in time, alleged Engr Mujibul Haque, also hailing from Chittagong.
Though the authorities are expected to ensure close circuit camera monitoring system in every bus counter for the safety of passengers and their belongings, most of the counters were found without the CC cameras.
If a single passenger wants to respond to the natural call in the counter, his or her belongings remain unattended as the counter staff are not willing to supervise the belongings even for a short time.
Laboni Ahmed, 38, a business development manager of a private farm, told UNB that she has to travel to Rangpur from Dhaka by different AC bus services like SR Paribahan, Hanif Paribahan and Agamoni Paribahan.
Amid the growing middle-class passengers, the country’s private entrepreneurs are increasingly investing in air conditioned (AC) bus services, but they largely fail to keep up with the facilities they promise to the travellers.
The authorities of these AC bus services show utter negligence in the maintenance of their vehicles while the services by the staff are also very poor, travellers complained when this UNB correspondent recently visited several AC bus counters in the capital.
“Passenger seats in most of the AC buses are narrow, unclean and uncomfortable. And even the blankets given to the passengers are dirty that have bad smells,” said frequent traveller Syed Farhad Ullah, a businessman of Chittagong. Besides, he said, the seats very often remain wet as water constantly trickles down from the air cooler. The switches of many mini-bulbs and fans remain out of order in the buses.
The services at the bus counters is also poor as toilets at Hanif Enterprise’s Arambagh counter and Saudia Paribahan’s Panthapath counters were found dirty and unclean spreading bad odor.
The same scenario was found at Green Line’s Razarbagh counter and Shaymoli Paribahan’s Kalyanpur counter.
According to unofficial statistics, there are over 20 AC bus companies in the country with over 250 buses. However, there is no association of AC bus owners. Proper departure schedule is hardly followed for night coaches, though passengers have to arrive at the bus counter in time, alleged Engr Mujibul Haque, also hailing from Chittagong.
Though the authorities are expected to ensure close circuit camera monitoring system in every bus counter for the safety of passengers and their belongings, most of the counters were found without the CC cameras.
If a single passenger wants to respond to the natural call in the counter, his or her belongings remain unattended as the counter staff are not willing to supervise the belongings even for a short time.
Laboni Ahmed, 38, a business development manager of a private farm, told UNB that she has to travel to Rangpur from Dhaka by different AC bus services like SR Paribahan, Hanif Paribahan and Agamoni Paribahan.
