Staff Reporter :
Most of the local buses in the capital city and inter-district transports that started operation after a long hiatus due to coronavirus outbreak are not following the health guidelines, but charging the commuters 60 percent extra fare.
Health guidelines were followed in the public transports for ‘showing off’ in the beginning, but later most of the transports did not care of it.
The rush in local buses in Dhaka city is worrying. Apart from this, there is a nationwide controversy over the increased bus fare.
In this circumstance, passengers are demanding the withdrawal of increased bus and minibu fares as transport owners are not maintaining health guidelines to prevent coronavirus transmission.
Jatri Kalyan Samity, a passengers’ welfare platform, on August 11 demanded the withdrawal of increased bus and minibus fares for the same reason.
Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, General Secretary of the Jatri Kalyan Samity, made the demand in a press statement.
Public transport owners are not maintaining health guidelines set by the government, as they are seen carrying passengers as they did before the pandemic hit, the statement said.
“Not only that, they’re also charging fares higher than that fixed by the government, inflicting suffering on low-income and jobless people,” it said.
After the increase of bus fare, human haulers, auto-rickshaws and taxi-cab owners are also realising extra fare from passengers, the statement added.
The Jatri Kalyan Samity demanded that the government take necessary steps to withdraw the increased bus fares and revert to the previous rates.
Sources said, inter-district buses are carrying passengers in each seat, but charging the commuters 60 percent extra amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The passengers raised their concern over maintaining health safety during the trips and overcharging issue, but the transport workers came up with their excuses as usual.
“Drivers and helpers picked up the passengers wherever they got throughout the route defying the virus safety rules,” said Hafiz Uddin Miah, passenger of a Kishoreganj-bound bus.
Noman Mosharref, a capital city dweller, said, “Some buses in the city are following the health guidelines and some buses are not.” Time has come to reconsider the government decision of increasing transport fare as the health guidelines are not maintained properly, he added.
After a 66-day transportation suspension to curb the virus spread, the government reopened public transports in June approving bus operators a 60-percent hike in fares. However, a condition was set that the buses would operate at half the passenger capacity in a bid to maintain social distancing requirements.
The helper of the Kishoreganj-bound bus said they used to charge Tk 200 per passenger before the pandemic, while now they take Tk 400. He claimed most of the passengers still give them the previous fare.
However, bus operators who have counters at bus stoppages said, they are still boarding 50 percent of the passenger capacity” order.
Liton Mia, Manager of S Alam Paribahan, said, “Our buses cannot pick up or drop passengers except from the counters and we are carrying 50 percent passengers of the capacity from the resumption of public transportation.”
Some other operators including Hanif, Eagle, Shohagh, Green Line, Sakura, Shyamoli are also doing the same.
Most of the local buses in the capital city and inter-district transports that started operation after a long hiatus due to coronavirus outbreak are not following the health guidelines, but charging the commuters 60 percent extra fare.
Health guidelines were followed in the public transports for ‘showing off’ in the beginning, but later most of the transports did not care of it.
The rush in local buses in Dhaka city is worrying. Apart from this, there is a nationwide controversy over the increased bus fare.
In this circumstance, passengers are demanding the withdrawal of increased bus and minibu fares as transport owners are not maintaining health guidelines to prevent coronavirus transmission.
Jatri Kalyan Samity, a passengers’ welfare platform, on August 11 demanded the withdrawal of increased bus and minibus fares for the same reason.
Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, General Secretary of the Jatri Kalyan Samity, made the demand in a press statement.
Public transport owners are not maintaining health guidelines set by the government, as they are seen carrying passengers as they did before the pandemic hit, the statement said.
“Not only that, they’re also charging fares higher than that fixed by the government, inflicting suffering on low-income and jobless people,” it said.
After the increase of bus fare, human haulers, auto-rickshaws and taxi-cab owners are also realising extra fare from passengers, the statement added.
The Jatri Kalyan Samity demanded that the government take necessary steps to withdraw the increased bus fares and revert to the previous rates.
Sources said, inter-district buses are carrying passengers in each seat, but charging the commuters 60 percent extra amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The passengers raised their concern over maintaining health safety during the trips and overcharging issue, but the transport workers came up with their excuses as usual.
“Drivers and helpers picked up the passengers wherever they got throughout the route defying the virus safety rules,” said Hafiz Uddin Miah, passenger of a Kishoreganj-bound bus.
Noman Mosharref, a capital city dweller, said, “Some buses in the city are following the health guidelines and some buses are not.” Time has come to reconsider the government decision of increasing transport fare as the health guidelines are not maintained properly, he added.
After a 66-day transportation suspension to curb the virus spread, the government reopened public transports in June approving bus operators a 60-percent hike in fares. However, a condition was set that the buses would operate at half the passenger capacity in a bid to maintain social distancing requirements.
The helper of the Kishoreganj-bound bus said they used to charge Tk 200 per passenger before the pandemic, while now they take Tk 400. He claimed most of the passengers still give them the previous fare.
However, bus operators who have counters at bus stoppages said, they are still boarding 50 percent of the passenger capacity” order.
Liton Mia, Manager of S Alam Paribahan, said, “Our buses cannot pick up or drop passengers except from the counters and we are carrying 50 percent passengers of the capacity from the resumption of public transportation.”
Some other operators including Hanif, Eagle, Shohagh, Green Line, Sakura, Shyamoli are also doing the same.
