Most of the buses in Chattogram are carrying huge number of passengers without following the rules of passenger transport. However, a different situation was seen in the case of train. According to the announcement of the Ministry of Railways, the train left Chattogram with half the capacity of passengers.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police have given permission to operate public transport in Chittagong city on 16 conditions from June 1. Following the decisions of the CMP, public transport started operating in Chittagong metropolis from Monday morning.However, no condition of CMP police is being observed in any passenger bus from the beginning.
City service buses are carrying passengers in crowds even though the fare is extra. Most of the buses were seen carrying standing passengers even after filling all the seats inside the bus. Passengers protested but bus drivers and helpers were seen abusing passengers. There have been clashes in several areas of the city.
Although there was extra crowd on the bus, the train was running from Chittagong as per the rules.
The Bangladesh Passengers Welfare Association said that the 60 percent increase in public transport fares will increase anarchy on the roads with the needy people of the country, who are in dire financial straits due to the corona virus They demanded immediate withdrawal of the increased fare.
Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association Secretary General Md. Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said the fare has been increased by 60 percent on the pretext of transporting passengers in 50 percent seats in public transport. Each bus and minibus has 10 to 15 extra seats. Oil prices have fallen in the world market long ago.
BPC has made a lot of profit by buying fuel oil at low prices and selling it at high prices for a long time in the country. Therefore, if the price of oil is reduced and extortion on the road is stopped, it is possible for the public transports to transport half of the passengers in accordance with the health rules.
Central Committee of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) vice-president SM Nazer Hossain said people who have been unemployed for a long time are financially and emotionally disturbed.
The increased bus fare will be tantamount to road robberies. Bus owners and workers do not collect the fare at the rate fixed by the government and take the passengers hostage and collect double or triple the fare.
There the law enforcement is not able to take any effective action against them. Reducing fuel prices without raising fares anew, stopping extortion on the roads, each public transport can transport half the passengers in compliance with health rules.