Seating stops, cheating continues

The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) drive to stop “Seating Service” and “Gate Lock Service” in Dhaka's public buses suffered a stumbling block on the very first day because bus owners allegedly created problems for the BRTA officials. The BRTA launched the drive in the capital on Sunday to stop the two services, which was decided by the city's passenger owners' association in the first place. But as the drive started, most of the public transport owners who previously ran Seating Service kept their buses off the streets, creating a huge transport crisis and causing immense suffering to the commuters. Those who did operate their service in the city charged passengers the Seating Service fares even though they discontinued the service, a number of commuters complained. Meanwhile, a huge number of bus owners and their associates were seen around the mobile courts set up by the BRTA in the city, seemingly there to help the authorities with the drive. However, BRTA officials complained that instead of help, they caused trouble by secretly providing information to their drivers so they could avoid the routes being watched by the mobile courts. In fact, a few BRTA magistrates claimed that the bus owners were trying to influence the mobile court activities.

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Also Read- BRTA acts to stop ‘Gate Lock,’ ‘Seating Service’ in Dhaka

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Because of the interference, the mobile courts wrapped up their drive by 2pm, although it was supposed to run until 5pm. “We have decided to officially inform the higher authority of BRTA about the influential bus owners' interference in mobile court operations. We will do it on Monday morning,” said one BRTA official, requesting anonymity. Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, he said Seating Service has always been illegal under the BRTA regulations. “But now the [passenger bus] owners are highlighting this issue because they are facing pressure from the top tier of the government. So they are playing both sides now.” The decision to no longer allow Seating Service and Gate Lock Service in public buses was made by Dhaka Sarak Paribahan Samity, an association of passenger bus owners in the capital, on April 4. They made the decision as passengers riding Seating Service buses were forced to pay additional fares, which is illegal. The association met with the BRTA authorities on Saturday and decided to launch the drive on Sunday. Asked about the owners' interference in the mobile court proceedings, Khandaker Enayetullah, secretary general of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Malik Samity, the association of passenger bus owners in the country, said he had been informed of Sunday's irregular activities. “I have been informed that some bus owners did not run their service today. But they did not do so to violate our decision. They kept their buses off the streets mainly because they are in the workshop for the removal of bumpers, rooftop carriers and angles, which is also a part of the [government] decision,” he told the Dhaka Tribune on Sunday.However, as per the government decision, the deadline to remove bumpers, rooftop carriers and angles from public buses was March 31. Enayetullah also said bus owners intended to help the mobile courts with the drive when they gathered around them. “If anyone is found to have disturbed the mobile court activities, they must be punished.” About the bus owners keeping their buses off the streets, he said: “How long will they keep their services suspended? Because the drive will continue.” Despite Enayetullah's reassurances, several sources within the association told the Dhaka Tribune that around 1,000 buses were off the streets during the drive, which took place in Dhaka's Asad Gate, Agargaon, Tejgaon, Ramna, Jatrabari and Airport areas. Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Nasir Uddin Khakan, managing director of Bihanga Paribahan Ltd, said they had run only 50 out of their 150 Seating Service buses to avoid mobile court. “All of the buses will come out in the evening, when the mobile courts have ended their drive for the day,” he added. Like Bihanga, public transport services like VIP Paribahan, Bahon and Rocket Paribahan did not operate their services on Sunday morning.

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Read More- BRTA chairman: No more ‘Gate Lock’ or ‘Seating Service’ buses from Sunday

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According to Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Malik Samity, over 4,500 buses ply in Dhaka every day under around 150 transport companies. Meanwhile, several commuters told the Dhaka Tribune that the bus services that had Seating Service were no longer offering it, but they were still charging the old fares. This reporter rode a bus of Meghalaya Paribahan which did not carry the BRTA-approved fare chart, when it should have. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday said both the government and members of bus owners’ associations would strictly monitor the drives to ensure that these illegal services never resume in future and completely stop charging extra fares. Talking to reporters at Satrasta intersection in the morning, the minister said he hoped that the drives would bring discipline in the transport sector. He added that the government would continue drives against illegal bumpers, angles or carriers in the buses which often lead to accidents.