Commuters in Dhaka, mostly office goers, have been suffering a great deal since Wednesday morning as public transports did not carry passengers more than 50% of their seating capacity while hiking fares by 60%.
The government on Tuesday increased fares for public buses with effect from Wednesday for the next 14 days.
The announcement was made through a circular issued by the Road, Transport and Bridges Ministry.
To make matters worse, both government and private offices, which were instructed to not have more than 50% of their manpower operational, are yet to comply with the government directives which were issued on Monday in light of the rising Covid cases across the country.
A large number of those who were out on the streets, mainly women, were forced to walk to their desired destinations as the buses did not have any seats available and some were even seen carrying standing passengers.
Talking to several commuters, Dhaka Tribune learnt that most people found this decision to be irrational, especially at a time when the month of Ramadan is right around the corner and prices of daily commodities are on the rise, putting yet another burden on the general people of the country.
Selina Jeslin, despite waiting for a bus for almost an hour at the Shahbagh Bus Stop, failed to come by any public transportation to go to her office in Mohakhali.
Expressing her frustration, she said: “I failed to get on a bus as all of them were jam-packed with passengers. Then I tried to get a CNG-auto-rickshaw but the driver asked for Tk600. But the bus fare for my office is only Tk20.”
A large number of those who were out on the streets, mainly women, were forced to walk to their desired destinations as the buses did not have any seats available | Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune
“As the government has imposed fresh restrictions on public movement the offices should be shut down or be operated on a limited scale,” she added.
Like Jeslin, hundreds of others were seen waiting, sweating in the scorching heat at Shahbagh, Farmgate, Malibagh and Kakrail, desperate about reaching their respective workplaces.
Meanwhile, aggrieved passengers blocked Airport Road in Khilkhet for an hour to protest the government’s move to hike bus fare.
They claimed that some city bus operators had been charging double the regular fares.
Nahid Pathan, a private job holder, took to Facebook to address the issue.
He wrote: “Though regular bus fare from Rampura to Uttara is Tk25, a bus of Victor Paribahan charged me Tk50 today.”
Meanwhile, Monirul Islam, a bus driver of Turag Transport, claimed that the company was abiding by the government-issued health safety guidelines. “We are operating at half of our capacity as police are strictly checking everything.”
Bangladesh Railway has requested its passengers, who booked tickets before the restrictions were imposed, to get a refund as all intercity and commuter trains will operate with 50% seating capacity to contain the spread of Covid | Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
“As the government restrictions are not being properly implemented public gatherings outside remain high,” one of the passengers at the bus told this correspondent.
When contacted, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain, said: “We will send a directive to the government offices to execute a new roster from Sunday.
“It will be a combination of physical and virtual office.”
Meanwhile, the government has decided that passenger launches will also carry 50% of their capacity and fares will be hiked from Thursday.
“Launches will run with 50% of passenger capacity during this year's Eid journey,” said State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Railway has requested its passengers, who booked tickets before the restrictions were imposed, to get a refund as all intercity and commuter trains will operate with 50% seating capacity to contain the spread of Covid.
However, the existing fares for tickets will remain unchanged.
The government on Sunday directed all public modes of transport to operate at 50% of their capacity and maintain health safety guidelines to curb the upsurge of Covid-19.
