The Challenger Paribahan bus, involved in Saturday’s deadly Natore accident, was bought at an auction from the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) 26 years ago.
Although the vehicle, a 1985 model, was supposed to be sold as scrap, it was used to transport passengers on the Bogra-Pabna route after minor repairs. Although its owner managed to obtain a fitness certificate and other documents for the bus, it did not have a route permit.
BRTC Bogra Depot Manager of Operations Mofiz Uddin clarified that buses bought at auctions cannot be used to transport passengers.
“Because only vehicles declared abandoned are put up for auction,” he said. “These vehicles are supposed to be sold as scrap. They are not meant to ply the roads.”
Bus owner Monju Sarkar told police that he had bought it from someone else and that there was no problem with the vehicle at the time of the purchase.
Bogra transportation owner Abdul Baki said it was Monju who bought the bus (Dhaka-Metro-Cha-5669) at a BRTC auction.
“He overhauled the body and ran it served the Bogra-Pabna route," Baki said, claiming the bus' fitness, and other necessary documents, were valid.
The vehicle’s documents were scrutinized when the bus rammed into a human hauler on the Natore-Pabna Highway on Saturday, killing 15 people.
Police filed a case against seven people, including Monju— a member of the Bogra Motor Owner Group that owns 20-23 buses.
He was briefly detained on Sunday. Many claimed that he was released, in exchange for money, after lobbying by influential ruling party-affiliated transport owners and workers.
Baki said some corrupt BRTC officials sell working vehicles as inoperable and arrange to sell them at auction.
“At least 50 buses, bought at BRTC auctions, run in Bogura,” he added.
Monju could not be reached for comment.
"There are about a thousand buses in the district but only 200 of them that serve the Dhaka route, have route permits,” Bogra Motor Owners Group’s President Shah Akhtaruzzaman Duke said.
He claimed there was no issue with the fitness of the bus involved in Saturday’s accident.
Bogra Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Assistant Director Sayed Mejba Uddin stated. "Everything was okay with that bus, except it did not have a route permit,” he said.
Mejba said he was not sure whether the bus was bought at a BRTC auction.
Bogra Highway Police Superintendent Mostafizur Rahman declined to comment on the Challenger Paribahan bus before checking its documents.
