Political violence has hit hard the transport sector of the country causing a loss of millions annually and if it continues it will wreak havoc on the sector.
A study carried out by state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) over the last five years says it has lost 139 buses because of political violence.
The statistics show that BRTC has so far incurred a loss of Tk50m for damages done to the buses by pickets, for arson attacks Tk38.9m while its revenue loss has stood at Tk336m as it has had to take the buses off the roads fearing vandalism.
The total loss had stood at Tk440m in the last five years. BRTC has had to pay dearly for the last two years when vandalism has cost it around Tk330m including revenue.
The Dhaka Tribune has tried to contact BRTC bus depot authorities all over the country to enquire about injuries and deaths during the violence but they have failed to provide any such information.
In a latest attack unruly demonstrators set ablaze six BRTC buses at its Uthli Bus Depot at Gabtali.
Around 4.30am, some youths entered the depot by scaling the boundary wall and set fire to six double-deckers, narrated Shajahan, a staff of BRTC.
The fire burnt the buses until the other depot staff rushed to the spot and doused the fire. They could manage to save four other buses parked inside the depot, he said.
One of the staff said repairs to two burnt double-deckers cost around Tk15m.
Another report prepared by police headquarters demonstrates that about 3,400 vehicles have been damaged over the last three years in political violence unleashed by BNP-Jamaat alliance.
As many as 943 buses were damaged in the year of 2011, 1147 in 2012 while 1349 the last year, the report shows.
Leaders of Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners Association say a little damage done to a bus involves at least Tk40 to 50 thousands and in the case of arson attack minimum repair expense is Tk200000.
Secretary General of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Samity Khondokar Enayetullah says when a political party is in power it speaks against hartal but as soon as it is out of power it enforces hartals. “They do not give a damn about people.”
According to the data of the association, around 215 buses have been set on fire between 2010 and October 2013 and 1160 buses were vandalized during that period.
Sources in intelligence departments say miscreants are now planning to launch attacks on bus depots across the country as they fail to do it in public places because of police vigilance.
Members of law enforcing agencies are planning to prepare a list of those attackers.
Monirul Islam, joint-commissioner of Detective Branch of Police, says they have already given instruction to all officials of different depots to remain alert and inform the law enforcers as soon as they sense something suspicious.
Contacted, Nikhil Ranjan Roy, director (operation and admin) of BRTC, tells the Dhaka Tribune that during political violence pickets target BRTC buses, which is not acceptable, as it is a property of the state and people of the country.
