Bogra BRTC loses Tk 2 crore for blockade

Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation, Bogra has so far suffered a loss of over Tk 2 crore due to a few people opting to travel by buses amid arson attacks on these vehicles during the ongoing blockade.    

Moreover, fewer buses are plying on established routes in fear of violence during the BNP-led alliance enforced blockade.  

According to sources of BRTC, Bogra depot, usually around 40 buses ply on 26 routes in and out of Bogra every day, but now a mere 10 buses ply on only 10 routes, and they ply on an irregular basis.

Visiting the depot on Wednesday, this correspondent found no passengers in the bus travelling on Bogra-Naogaon route and very few passengers in the bus for Bogra-Joypurhat route.      

However, depot sources said, the buses would run despite having few passengers.

One Akhtar Hossain said he commutes between Naogaon and Bogra for work.

“I usually travel by bus but now I have chosen to use trains as they keep a better schedule and are safer,” he said.

Aminul Islam, a conductor, said they have to wait a long time for the bus to just fill up half its capacity.

Golam Faruque, manager of BRTC, Bogra bus depot, said they have incurred a loss of over Tk 2 crore.

He added that they are struggling to pay salaries of 256 staff.

Few passengers and lack of security of the passengers and the vehicles have made it difficult to run the depot smoothly, he added.