The government have withdrawn its ban on the operation of overnight long-haul buses after a meeting with transport owners, following demands made by transport owners of the country.
State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said this after the meeting at his Secretariat office on Thursday.
Ther minister said: “We have permitted the resumption of long-haul buses on highways after 9pm since the highways are now more secured and the transport owners demanded to operate their vehicles again.”
On February 9, the government suspended operation of night time long-haul buses amid the rise of arson attacks that damaged hundreds of vehicles in different parts of the country.
Khandaker Enayetullah, secretary general of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Malik Samity, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We think the security issues on the highways are now solved and we also observed that arson attacks have decreased in the most of the highways. So we demanded withdrawal of the ban and the government agreed with us.”
“Buses will start to ply from friday and we expect to receive the same form of security on highways like before.” he added.
The Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, State Minister for Cooperative Moshiur Rahman Ranga were also present at the meeting.
The government earlier identified 993 risky points on highways and decided to deploy 12,000 Ansar members there. Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were also deployed to ensure security on roads.
Arson attacks on buses and trucks across the country have killed nearly hundred people since January 6 after BNP chief Khaleda Zia imposed the indefinite blockade and enforced series of hartals.
