SM Mizanur Rahman :The capital Dhaka remained virtually isolated from the rest of the country in the last 17 days as transport movement came to a halt intensifying sufferings to stranded people and making a serious loss to the transport sector.Apart from private vehicles, on an average some 12 thousands public transports including, long distance buses and coaches and goods-laden trucks and covered vans, ply on the Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge everyday. But the number of transports, specially long distance luxurious buses and coaches and goods-laden trucks, declined sharply losing taka 50 lakh as revenue every day, an official of Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge told The New Nation on Wednesday. Besides, the long route vehicles went off all highways, including Paturia-Kazirhat, Paturia-Daulatdia and Maowa-Kawrakandi during the aforesaid period. The roads of districts and upazilas connected with highways are also witnessing a very few transports as the situation still remains volatile different parts of the country.Thousands of goods-laden vehicles got stranded for several days at different places, including Chittagong and Mongla ports, and other land ports in the country. As a result the supply of essentials from different places of the country has been affected badly. When contacted, Shipping Minister Shahjan Khan, also the leader of transport owners and workers association, on Wednesday admitted that fearing terror attack the transports kept largely under suspension. “But the situation now may improve as the law enforcers have started providing security on the roads and highways,” he told The New Nation. He said the core committee, comprising home ministry officials and heads of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, has already took a hard line for tackling violence. “Law enforcers have intensified drives to arrest attackers involved in launching petrol bombs and arson attack. We can no longer remain silent. We will identify them and hand down punishment,” he said. Masudur Rahman, general manager, Hanif Enterprise, said the blockade along with hartal forced them not to ply their long-distance buses and coaches.”Is it possible to continue our long distance luxurious bus and coach service amid hartal and blockade? Our all service in all metropolitan cities including capital Dhaka and other districts have remained suspended since January 5,” he told The New Nation. He added the cost of their luxurious coaches is taka 75 lakh to 1.45 crore adding they do not get insurance facilities. When contacted Rasheda Begum, a sales officer, Sohagh Paribahan, said their long-distance coach service would remain suspended if the blockade and hartal continue.”We are incurring huge loss everyday but it has not been possible for us to ply our luxurious coaches amid blockade and hartal,” she said. Capital’s three bus terminals-Gabtali, Sayedabad and Mohakhali handle arrival and departure of about 5000 buses carrying about two lakhs passengers everyday. But now on an average only 500 short-distance buses are leaving from these three terminals for the adjacent districts like Manikganj, Narsigndi, Mymensingh, Brahamanbaria and Comilla. “Despite risk of bomb attack, we are operating some vehicles to earn our livelihood,” said Abdul Mazid, a driver of PPL super service, Narsigndi bound bus. According to 12 inter-district bus service operators, some eight thousands buses and coaches use to ply the roads and high ways but they are now operating two thousands buses Officials of roads and highways department said, some fifty thousands transports-coaches, buses, minibuses, goods-laden trucks and covered vans, car, autorickshaws, Nosimon and Votvoti ply on Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Aricha, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Tangail, Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Maowa highways. Meanwhile on Wednesday, Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association at a press conference said some 18 passengers and 11 transport workers were killed between January 5 and January 20. “As transport service remained suspended in the last 17 days, the transport owners are incurring loss taka 300 crore to taka 360 core everyday,” said Mohammad Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, general secretary, Passenger Welfare Association.He added some 572 transports were damaged partially while 65 other completely.”Besides, blockaders launched attack and ransacked a total of 3,231 transport during the period. The miscreants also set fire to 50 BRTC buses and vandalised other 267,” he said Mozammel Haque said after the declaration of non-stop blockade programme the pro-government transport owners asked other transport owners to ply their vehicle defy the blockade. “But fearing subversive activities, the owners of transport did not response to the pro-government transport owners’ call,” he said adding when some transport started plying the roads and highways, they came under arson attack. Besides, he said at least 22 passengers were burnt alive and 73 transports workers were killed between January 5 in 2013 and 2014.”During that time 26,374 vehicles were ransacked while other 1162 damaged partially in arson attack. Besides, a total of 781 transports were damaged completely during that period,” Mozammel Haque mentioned. He also said sabotage activities like removing fishplates and uprooting railway truck had been taken places for 21 times. “At least 324 people were killed and 4,41,865 injured between January in 2013 and January 20 in 2015,” he added.
