Drivers of air-conditioned bus service under Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) have not got salaries for the last two months, thanks to the negligence of the authorities concerned.
The BRTC has around 30 air-conditioned single decker bus services that run on the Abdullahpur-Motijheel route in the capital every day.
At least 90 bus drivers have been going through financial hardship, even sometimes they fail to manage foods for their family members.
Bus driver Abul Kashem said: “We have to run buses from 8am to 12pm. But, the authorities are not giving us our fair wages of two months (February-March). I have two children. Sometimes we have to starve for lack of money.”
Another driver Jahir Uddin said he lived in a slum at Uttara. He paid around Tk3,000 as rent.
He said: “My wife and I work together to run the family. She is pregnant now. It has become very hard for me to run my family. But, the authorities do not pay any heed to our problems.”
Expressing their woes, many drivers said when they had wanted their salaries to the authorities, they told them that they would not be able to disburse salaries as the BRTC incurred a huge loss during last year’s political unrest.
As a result, drivers have been involved in various types of irregularities.
They are taking passengers from different points of the capital rather than from the bus stops.
A passenger Asma Khatun, an employee of a private firm, said: “I get into a bus from Kurmitola without tickets. I have to go to Banglamotor, so I gave Tk50 to the driver.”
When asked the driver Nasir said: “We do not have any choice as we have to earn money to feed our children.”
The salaries of the drivers varies from Tk4800-Tk10,000.
The BRTC officials said the corporation had lost 139 buses and incurred a loss of Tk500 crore for damages during political violence. Also it bear Tk 38.9m for arson attacks while its revenue loss has stood at Tk 336 crore. The total loss had stood at Tk440 crore in the last five years.
In this regard, Joar Shahara Depot Manager Abu Bakar Siddique said: “The drives are putting wrong allegations. They did not get the salaries of March. But, it is not a problem for them as they could earn pocket money from passengers.”
He added: “When we will get money from the head office, we could pay driver’s salaries.”
Munshi Iqbal Hossain, Director (Finance & Accounts) of the BRTC said,” Because of political violence in last year the buses could not ply the road. So, we faced income crisis. Besides, the government also did not gave us money for the damages.”
He added: “Besides, it is normal in transportation sector and there are always dues. If there are dues, then the drivers will get their wages within next two or three months.”
