The leaders of transport owners’ and workers’ organisations decided to operate buses on long-distance routes from Friday during blockades, following government assurances of adequate security.
Transport owners said they could not pay back their bank loans for being unable to run buses for many days because of blockades, while labour leaders said the workers were passing through hardship as the buses did not run during blockades fearing attacks.
Since November 26, the BNP-led 18-party alliance has enforced continuous blockades – with pauses for only a few days – demanding the restoration of the caretaker government for holding the parliamentary election.
“We have decided to run passenger bus on long routes as the government would ensure security,” Bangladesh Road Transport Association Secretary General Khandaker Enayetullah said over phone yesterday.
Asked about the security of the passengers, Enayetullah said the government would provide security to transport workers as well as passengers.
Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation General Secretary Osman Ali said: “We have decided to run passenger buses amid blockades with the help of police protection”.
He mentioned buses would run between Dhaka and Mymensingh, Comilla, Tangail, Faridpur and Shariatpur.
Meanwhile, BRTWF acting president and also the Shipping and Liberation War Affairs Minister Shajahan Khan yesterday held a meeting with leaders of bus owners and transport workers at the conference room of the shipping ministry.
Among others, senior officials of Rab and highway police were present.
After the meeting, Shajahan Khan told reporters that preparations have been made and buses would run from Friday. Asked about the security of the passengers, he said: “Do the journalists have security?”
Assuring that those affected by the blockades would be compensated Shajahan also mentioned that the families of the 16 drivers who were killed recently have already been compensated.
