Government in a quandary over fleet of errant buses
Nearly a quarter of all buses in Dhaka flout traffic rules, BRTA says
Dhaka Tribune
Marium Sultana
Publish : 11 Jan 2022, 11:58 PMUpdate : 11 Jan 2022, 11:58 PM
The government is facing a major dilemma over how to deal with the massive number of errant buses operating in Dhaka.
According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), nearly 6,000 buses operate in the capital, including 1,408 that are accused of flouting traffic rules. Issues with the errant buses include route permit and fitness certificate violations, as well overcharging passengers.
The BRTA determined the number of errant buses during drives in November and December last year. The authority had intended to cancel the route permits of the buses that were flouting rules, but it soon saw that this plan was unfeasible.
The total number of buses is already insufficient to cater for the needs of the 20 million residents of the capital and taking nearly one quarter of them off the roads would lead to an even greater shortage, officials said.
As a compromise, the authorities settled for taking measures against more than 250 buses that were found to be repeat offenders. However, even these buses are still plying the roads due to a lack of coordination between relevant agencies.
Coordination confusion
The Dhaka Metro Regional Transport Committee (Dhaka RTC) is responsible for granting and cancelling route permits. The BRTA sent the names of the 256 buses that were to have their permits cancelled to the committee shortly after the drives late last year.
“We considered and suggested punishing repeat offenders who violated traffic rules more than three times,” said BRTA Director (Enforcement)Md Sarwar Alam.
However, the Dhaka RTC is yet to take any action against the buses.
Md Shahidullah, deputy director of the Road Safety Wing of BRTA and member secretary of Dhaka RTC, said: “We haven't had a chance to meet yet. As a result, no decision has been made. Until the meeting happens, nothing can be said [about route permit cancellations].”
Khandaker Enayet Ullah, general secretary of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association and member of the Dhaka RTC, also said the committee has not held a meeting in the last three years due to an order from the Bus Route Rationalization Committee (BRRC).
“As BRTA has suggested the names of the errant buses, a decision will undoubtedly be made but it will take time. The RTC is not able to call a meeting as fast as before,” he added.
“It usually happens once a month. To convene a meeting, RTC Chairman DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam must first obtain BRRC approval,” Khandaker Enayet Ullah further said.
The BRRC was formed to bring discipline to public buses in Dhaka in 2018. When Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh took charge as mayor of DSCC in 2020, he was assigned as convenor of the committee.
At the same time, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam became co-convenor of the BRRC.
Shortly after the BRRC was formed, it ordered the Dhaka RTC to stop granting route permits to buses without their approval as too many buses were receiving them.
DSCC Mayor Taposh told Dhaka Tribune: “We have the authority to cancel route permits in Dhaka as per the rules of business. If the BRTA or Dhaka RTC shares their recommendations with us, we can take action.”
The repeat offenders operate under Basumati, Raida, Poristhan, MM Lovely, Anabil, Alif, Labbaik, Turag, Balaka, Shadhin, Projapoti, Rajanigandha, Shika, Akash, Ajmeri, Manjil, Prabhati Banasree, Asmani, Prochesta, Victor, Midline, D.link, Rajdhani, Gulistan-Gazipur, and VIP Paribahan bus companies.
Operators reject BRTA recommendations
Md Jewel Dewan, managing director of Anabil Super Paribahan, said they do not accept the decision of the BRTA and will take the government body to court as the bus company has done nothing wrong.
“They (BRTA) noticed any fault of helpers or conductors and for that reason penalized us. We gave Tk5,000-10,000 per car. Do they want more? This is a trick to put pressure on the general owners, as a few are attempting to operate all buses in the city with the help of the two Dhaka mayors.
"We didn't do anything, and our tax situation is clear, so they can't take away our route permit. This is no joke," he said, explaining that one must first purchase buses, form a company, apply to the Dhaka RTC, and present the route as well as the garage in order to obtain a route permit.
"BRTA has sent us a letter to show the basis for violating rules. We responded, and no additional communication was received," said Ruhul Amin, director of Turag Transport Company.
He also said that the majority of the workers are uneducated and come from low-income families.
Late last year, the government increased fuel prices by Tk15 per litre, causing transport companies to go on an indefinite protest across the country demanding a tariff increase for buses. After that, the government increased fares for city services and long-distance buses by more than 26%.
Meanwhile, BRTA mobile courts fined 1,408 buses over Tk57 lakh for charging extra fares in Dhaka in 30 days until December 8. Nine mobile courts had launched drives in Dhaka against charging extra fares.
During the month-long operation, 56 buses were sent to dumping stations for non-payment of fines and not having route permits.
Besides, five bus drivers were jailed for reckless driving and obstructing government officials from performing duties during the period, according to a BRTA release.
Government in a quandary over fleet of errant buses
Nearly a quarter of all buses in Dhaka flout traffic rules, BRTA says
The government is facing a major dilemma over how to deal with the massive number of errant buses operating in Dhaka.
According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), nearly 6,000 buses operate in the capital, including 1,408 that are accused of flouting traffic rules. Issues with the errant buses include route permit and fitness certificate violations, as well overcharging passengers.
The BRTA determined the number of errant buses during drives in November and December last year. The authority had intended to cancel the route permits of the buses that were flouting rules, but it soon saw that this plan was unfeasible.
The total number of buses is already insufficient to cater for the needs of the 20 million residents of the capital and taking nearly one quarter of them off the roads would lead to an even greater shortage, officials said.
As a compromise, the authorities settled for taking measures against more than 250 buses that were found to be repeat offenders. However, even these buses are still plying the roads due to a lack of coordination between relevant agencies.
Coordination confusion
The Dhaka Metro Regional Transport Committee (Dhaka RTC) is responsible for granting and cancelling route permits. The BRTA sent the names of the 256 buses that were to have their permits cancelled to the committee shortly after the drives late last year.
“We considered and suggested punishing repeat offenders who violated traffic rules more than three times,” said BRTA Director (Enforcement)Md Sarwar Alam.
However, the Dhaka RTC is yet to take any action against the buses.
Md Shahidullah, deputy director of the Road Safety Wing of BRTA and member secretary of Dhaka RTC, said: “We haven't had a chance to meet yet. As a result, no decision has been made. Until the meeting happens, nothing can be said [about route permit cancellations].”
Khandaker Enayet Ullah, general secretary of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association and member of the Dhaka RTC, also said the committee has not held a meeting in the last three years due to an order from the Bus Route Rationalization Committee (BRRC).
“As BRTA has suggested the names of the errant buses, a decision will undoubtedly be made but it will take time. The RTC is not able to call a meeting as fast as before,” he added.
“It usually happens once a month. To convene a meeting, RTC Chairman DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam must first obtain BRRC approval,” Khandaker Enayet Ullah further said.
The BRRC was formed to bring discipline to public buses in Dhaka in 2018. When Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh took charge as mayor of DSCC in 2020, he was assigned as convenor of the committee.
At the same time, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam became co-convenor of the BRRC.
Shortly after the BRRC was formed, it ordered the Dhaka RTC to stop granting route permits to buses without their approval as too many buses were receiving them.
DSCC Mayor Taposh told Dhaka Tribune: “We have the authority to cancel route permits in Dhaka as per the rules of business. If the BRTA or Dhaka RTC shares their recommendations with us, we can take action.”
The repeat offenders operate under Basumati, Raida, Poristhan, MM Lovely, Anabil, Alif, Labbaik, Turag, Balaka, Shadhin, Projapoti, Rajanigandha, Shika, Akash, Ajmeri, Manjil, Prabhati Banasree, Asmani, Prochesta, Victor, Midline, D.link, Rajdhani, Gulistan-Gazipur, and VIP Paribahan bus companies.
Operators reject BRTA recommendations
Md Jewel Dewan, managing director of Anabil Super Paribahan, said they do not accept the decision of the BRTA and will take the government body to court as the bus company has done nothing wrong.
“They (BRTA) noticed any fault of helpers or conductors and for that reason penalized us. We gave Tk5,000-10,000 per car. Do they want more? This is a trick to put pressure on the general owners, as a few are attempting to operate all buses in the city with the help of the two Dhaka mayors.
"We didn't do anything, and our tax situation is clear, so they can't take away our route permit. This is no joke," he said, explaining that one must first purchase buses, form a company, apply to the Dhaka RTC, and present the route as well as the garage in order to obtain a route permit.
"BRTA has sent us a letter to show the basis for violating rules. We responded, and no additional communication was received," said Ruhul Amin, director of Turag Transport Company.
He also said that the majority of the workers are uneducated and come from low-income families.
Late last year, the government increased fuel prices by Tk15 per litre, causing transport companies to go on an indefinite protest across the country demanding a tariff increase for buses. After that, the government increased fares for city services and long-distance buses by more than 26%.
Meanwhile, BRTA mobile courts fined 1,408 buses over Tk57 lakh for charging extra fares in Dhaka in 30 days until December 8. Nine mobile courts had launched drives in Dhaka against charging extra fares.
During the month-long operation, 56 buses were sent to dumping stations for non-payment of fines and not having route permits.
Besides, five bus drivers were jailed for reckless driving and obstructing government officials from performing duties during the period, according to a BRTA release.