Unfit, old buses on highway

Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the number of old unfit buses see tremendous rise on Dhaka-Aricha Highway, posing risk of serious accidents amid the ongoing rush of homebound people.

Visiting a few workshops at Aricha old truck terminal, BRTC (Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation) bus stand in Shivalaya upazila and Bhatbaur and Uchutia in Manikganj Sadar upazila in last couple of days, this correspondent found workers repairing and colouring old buses.

Such work increases every year before the Eid, said Abdul Aziz, owner of a workshop at Aricha.

Several passengers, including Shahidul Islam of Aricha, Abdus Salam of Manikganj, Abdur Razzak and Geeta Rani of Ghior and Kawsar Hossain and Salma Akter of Harirampur upazila of the district alleged that unfit buses ply the highway under the nose of police.

"The owners of the buses get the defective vehicles repaired and coloured and run those on the road. We have nothing to do in that case," said Abdul Malek, a bus driver.

Bus owner Golam Morshed Khan Rubel, also a member of Jatri Seba Bus Owners' Association, said, "The business does not bring much profit due to rising prices of fuel and equipment. During the two Eids and Puja, the pressure of passengers increases. To make a little extra income, the old buses are set right for plying."

Some bus owners alleged that they have to give money to policemen for avoiding harassment while running old vehicles on the road.

Most of the buses of BRTC and several private ones moving from Aricha-Paturia-Manikganj to Gulistan give a shabby look with window glasses often broken. When it rains, the passengers get wet.

Disgusting smoke emitted from such vehicles also adds to environment pollution and poses health hazards, said several passengers.

Manikganj Superintendent of Police Mahfuzur Rahman said following directives to prevent the movement of unfit old buses, a number of cases have been lodged and the people responsible have been fined.

"However, it is not possible to seize all unfit buses due to lack of adequate places to keep those. Besides, intensive checking of the buses on the highway and seizing the unfit ones add to the already existing traffic congestion and it increases the sufferings of the passengers," he said.

Dhaka-Aricha Highway is the main road connecting the capital Dhaka with 21 south-west districts of the country.

Currently, 10 to 12 thousand vehicles of different types are plying Dhaka-Aricha highway. Most of the vehicles are registered in Dhaka and move in several districts, said engineer Mobarak Hossain, assistant director of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority's (BRTA) Manikganj office.

Around 400 buses ply the highway from Gulistan and Gabtoli of Dhaka to Aricha and Paturia ferry terminals in Manikganj and on the regional roads of the district, BRTA sources said.