Desk Report: As traffic police continue to check fitness certificates of vehicles and other documents, many bus owners still refrain from running their vehicles on the streets in the capital, causing immense sufferings for the commuters, reports Daily Sun.
Besides, CNG-run auto-rickshaws drivers are charging passengers extra fares, cashing in on the shortage of vehicles on the streets.
Last week, student movement for safe roads and undeclared bus strike by the transport workers triggered untold public sufferings in the capital and elsewhere in the country.
Now, traffic week is going on. As part of the traffic week, a huge number of traffic police were deployed on the streets.
Traffic sergeants and constables were seen checking licences and other fitness certificates of the vehicles on different city streets on Thursday.
Police have lodged 58,549 cases across the country, including the capital, for traffic violations like wrong side driving, using hydraulic horns and not having driving licences or fitness certificates in the last three days of traffic week till Tuesday.
Police decided to take strict measures against traffic offences amid widespread protests demanding safe roads.
Traffic week began from Sunday, with police filing 19,486 cases for violating traffic rules across the country.
Police lodged 21,336 cases on Monday and 17,727 cases on Tuesday. They also seized 1,870 vehicles in the last three days.
A small number of passenger buses were seen plying the streets in the capital on Thursday. But the roads were dominated by small vehicles and rickshaws since 11:00am to evening.
Hundreds of commuters, mostly students and working people, were seen waiting for public transports at several bus stoppages. Most of the buses were seen plying different city streets with excessive passengers on Thursday afternoon.
Contacted, assistant deputy commissioner (Badda-Gulshan Zone) Lucky Aktar on Thursday said, “Due to the increasing activities of traffic police, owners and drivers of many passenger buses are not running their unfit and unlicensed vehicles on the streets, causing transport crisis in the capital.”
A huge number of city buses of Anabil, Salsalil, Raidah and Nur-e-Mecca Paribahan usually run on Jatrabari, Malibagh, Rampura, Airport and Uttara routes every day, but their number was very low on Thursday.
A small number of other passenger buses of Meghla Paribahan, Himalaya Paribahan and Manjil Paribahan were seen on the streets on the day.
Many bus drivers and staff claimed that owners did not let them run the buses on the city streets fearing traffic harassments.
Owners, however, said a sufficient number of public buses were available on the streets.
Denying the government fixed meter bill system, most of the CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers are running their vehicles, charging commuters extra fares in the city.
As it is one of the most essential transports in city life, it is hardly possible for the city residents to go to their destinations by CNG-run auto-rickshaws without extra fares.
Taking advantage of the situation, drivers of such three-wheelers are realising excessive fare from passengers, sources said.
Sufferers said most of the CNG drivers do not want to use meters and bargain for more.
Even, those passengers travelling short distances are refused by them.
Simultaneously, as part of its efforts to curb road accidents, the Dhaka Road Transport Owners’ Association also decided not to run any bus on contractual basis, which leads to rash driving, in the capital from Thursday.
“If anyone runs buses on contractual agreement from Thursday, we’ll recommend cancellation of the registration of his buses. We’ll also revoke his membership from our association,” said association’s general secretary Khandaker Enayetullah.
Enayetullah, also general secretary of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association, came up with the announcement while addressing a press conference at the BRTC Bhaban in the city.
He said drivers engage in competitions with each other to earn more following the plying of buses as per agreements with bus owners, posing a high risk of accidents. “Drivers and workers will run buses on wage basis from Thursday.”
The transport association leader also said counter bus services will be reintroduced in the capital.
Enayetullah said a committee would be formed at each bus terminal comprising representatives of owners and workers to check licences of drivers, and papers and fitness of vehicles. “No unfit bus will be allowed to run in the capital.”