Staff Reporter :
As the government lifted the nationwide hard lockdown, the public transport will ply on the roads from today.
On July 23, the authorities suspended trains, buses and launches in an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19. On the other hand, in a notification on Monday, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) said buses will not be allowed to take more passengers than there are seats and no standing passengers. Notification further said the 60% increased fare has been scrapped and previous fares would be reinstated from Wednesday.
Local administrations – after consulting law enforcement agencies, offices and agencies concerned, as well as transport owners’ and workers’ associations in their jurisdictions – can allow half the number of vehicles to operate every day.
Moreover, the authorities concerned must ensure that government-issued health rules to contain coronavirus transmission are maintained on all mediums of transportation.
Instructions on hygiene must be adhered to at all times on public transports and legal action would be taken against violators, the BRTA warned in the notification.
Moreover, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said the launch will start to carry the passengers with its full of capacity from Wednesday.
After a meeting with water vassal owners at the secretariat Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury spoke with the journalist and said launch will charge regular fare as it was increased 60 per cent fare extra during Covid-19.
He said the owners agreed that they won’t collect more money from the passengers.
Workers in Dhaka’s Kamalapur Railway Station and Sadarghat Launch Terminal were seen busy cleaning and washing the rail coaches and launches – making them fit and hygienic as part of preparations to resume services.
The Cabinet Division on Sunday issued a circular confirming that the nationwide strict lockdown will not be extended past its current deadline, August 10.
