Counter-based bus services will be operated in Dhaka from Thursday, said Saiful Alam, general secretary of Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association.
He made this announcement at a press conference at the head office of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association in Paribagh of the capital on Tuesday afternoon.
Saiful Alam said, "From February 6, buses of 21 companies will operate in Dhaka city via Abdullahpur in Gazipur on a ticket counter basis. About 2,610 buses will operate on this route. Passengers will buy tickets from the counter and board the bus. And all the buses will be of the same color (pink).”
He said, "For the past 16 years, bus and minibus drivers have been operating contact vehicles in Dhaka, violating all rules. This has led to unequal competition in vehicle movement, with passengers getting on and off everywhere. Due to passengers’ getting on and off without specific stoppages, traffic jams, chaos and accidents are largely occurring on the roads.”
Saiful Alam further said, ‘On December 19 last year, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Advisor to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges regarding strengthening discipline in the road transport sector, reducing traffic congestion in Dhaka metropolis and controlling air pollution. In that meeting, it was decided that vehicle owners should conclude contracts with drivers on a fortnightly and monthly basis instead of making trip-based contracts. Drivers will drive vehicles on a ticket counter basis. In order to implement that decision, we, the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association, have initially decided to operate the vehicles of 21 transport companies that ply in Dhaka metropolis via Abdullahpur using the vehicle counter system.”
He further said, ‘From now on, buses will have to be operated on a counter system and passengers will have to collect tickets from specific counters and travel in vehicles. Buses cannot be parked and passengers cannot be picked up without specific stoppages. A request has been made to the general public regarding this matter."
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
