‘Artificial’ transport crisis spells misery for port city commuters
There has been an acute transport shortage on two major routes in Chattogram city for more than a year, as most public buses are being used for RMG workers after their duty hours.
Eventually, other commuters -- especially office goers -- said they face difficulties to go home after 6pm.
The authorities of readymade garment (RMG) factories in and outside the city reserve most of the buses and minibuses plying CEPZ-Bahaddarhat and Kathgar-Laldighirpar routes to carry their workers, factory sources said.
As a result, commuters find sparse public transports on those routes from 6pm to 8:30pm.
According to transport sources, around 400 buses and minibuses ply route no-10 stretching from CEPZ to Bahaddarhat and some 200 such vehicles on route no-6 from Kathgar to Laldighirpar.
Although a total of 600 vehicles are supposed to be operated on the routes throughout the day, hardly 20 are found after 6pm, said commuters.
This correspondent recently made a trip on the Kathgar-Laldighirpar route. There were adequate public vehicles in the afternoon but the scenario changed in the evening.
Hundreds of commuters were seen waiting for transport at Katgar, Steel Mill Bazar, Bandartila, CEPZ, customs intersection, Barek Building intersection, Agrabad Badamtoli intersection, Chaumuhani, Dewan Haat, Tiger Pass, Lalkhan Bazar intersection and GEC intersection bus stops.
Several buses and minibuses -- packed with RMG workers -- were also seen there.
Amid the “artificial” crisis, many buses take advantages of passengers by charging extra. After a 40-minute wait, this correspondent found a minibus at CEPZ intersection, as commuters rushed there and tried to board it.
Many of them, however, came back with unhappy faces as the helper demanded fare three to four times more than usual.
Humayun Kabir, who works at a private firm in Bandartila, said, “My residence is at Agrabad and the regular fare from CEPZ to Agrabad is Tk 7, but they demand Tk 20 in the evening seizing opportunity of the crisis.”
Kalpana Halder, a computer operator of a private firm in CEPZ area, said, “It seems that there is no administration in the city... There is no one to ease our sufferings.”
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) sources did not acknowledge the situation, until The Daily Star contacted them.
BRTA authorities said such daily reservation of public transports is violation of rules. Route permit can be cancelled on the charge of such malpractice, they said.
Asked, Tarun Dasgupta, general secretary of City Service Bus-Minibus Owners’ Association Chattogram, said, “Owners were not responsible for it. Drivers and helpers take contract with the RMG factories to carry their workers.”
“If we do not allow them to do so, they will not drive our vehicles,” he added.
Uzzwal Biswas, member secretary of Brihattar Chattogram Sarak Paribahan Sramik Oikya Parishad, said they are compelled to take such contract as the owners have fixed a big amount for renting buses out to them.
“A driver has to pay Tk 2,800 for a bus and Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,200 for a minibus per day,” he said, adding, “We are not able to earn this money from regular trips.”
BGMEA first vice president Moinuddin Ahmed Mintu said most of the factories do not have space to park vehicles on their premises. That’s why owners are not interested in buying transports for carrying workers, he said.
BRTA Executive Magistrate SM Manjurul Haque said, “We will go for tough action against the illegal practice,” adding, “We will immediately ask transport owners and workers to stop such reservation of vehicles. We will cancel their route permits if they do not comply with the order.”
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