Containing Covid-19 Transmission: Guidelines thrown out the window in public transports of port city
Public vehicles in Chattogram city are defying government instructions for movement during the pandemic in every way possible.
Not only are they boarding passengers up to full seating capacity, but also taking up standing passengers. On the contrary, they are realising double fare too, that the government set for vehicles boarding up to half of their capacity.
According to government instructions, public vehicles are supposed to board passengers only up to half of their sitting capacity. To cover up for the loss in revenue, the government also allowed to charge 60 percent additional fare.
In addition, no passenger would be allowed to board without face masks, while the seats have to be sanitised at the beginning of every trip, the guidelines say.
However, passengers in the port city have alleged that other than overcharging, none of the other guidelines are being followed. As a result, altercations between passengers and transport workers have become a common scene everyday.
According to health experts, if health guideline are not followed in public transports, the pandemic situation may further deteriorate in the city.
Epidemiologist Prof Dr Shakeel Ahmed, in-charge of Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases lab, told The Daily Star following health guideline should be ensured in public transports to contain the pandemic.
This correspondent saw passengers standing inside different public vehicles in Chawkbazar, Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, Sholoshahar Gate No.2, Oxygen, and Karnaphuli Shah Amanat Bridge areas. In addition, almost two-third of the passengers were seen without face masks.
Sources said around 1,000 mini buses and 2,000 human hauliers ply on 12 routes in the port city.
"Health guidelines are not being followed in the buses. Passengers are standing very close to each other, while most of them are without masks," passenger Debdulal Das told this correspondent.
He had boarded a minibus at Chawkbazar to go to his workplace yesterday.
"When I protested the additional passengers, the conductor misbehaved with me," he said.
Abdus Sattar Roni, general secretary of South Chattogram Passengers Welfare Association, told The Daily Star that though public vehicles were boarding standing passengers and defying the government's instructions, no action has been taken against them.
Belayet Hossain, president of Chattogram Metropolitan Paribahan Malik Group, said they instructed transport workers to board passengers maintaining the guidelines and not allow any passenger without a mask.
Asked about irregularities, he said, "We will strictly monitor whether the health rules are followed."
Talking to this correspondent, minibus conductor Md Hamid said they try to refuse passengers but they force their way in. "What can I do when this happens?" he asked. "If they don't wear masks, there is not much we can do either. It is the law enforcers' job."
When asked about realising double fares, he said they're only charging 60 percent additional fare, in line with the guidelines.
Mohammad Shahidullah, deputy commissioner (Traffic) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police, said the teams of the traffic department were monitoring different routes to ensure health guidelines are being followed in public vehicles.
"We are imposing fines on vehicles that do not follow the government instructions," he said, adding, "We will have to be stricter with the issue."
Comments