Hundreds of unfit buses, microbuses and other unfit vehicles are plying freely in the 100 km area of Cumilla on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway which is the lifeline of the country. The vehicles are carrying thousands of passengers every day. Most drivers of unfit buses and microbuses do not have a license. On the other hand, accidents are constantly happening while trying to reach the destination at high speed. Although there is a ban on driving without fitness on the highway, the highway police has a place of hope for these people. There are allegations that an unwritten contract has to be signed with the owners of these vehicles.
As most of the import and export is done through Chittagong port, this highway is connected with the rest of the country. Local and foreign tourists in Cox's Bazar, St. Martin's, Teknaf, Bandarban, Rangamati, Kaptai Khagrachhari, Ramgarh, Sitakunda, Mirsarai and other places of interest use this highway. As a result, high speed vehicles are running on the highway from one end to the other. Hundreds of unfit vehicles carrying thousands of passengers are plying over a large area of the Cumilla section of the highway. From Daudkandi to Chauddagram of Comilla section of Sarajmin Highway, Daudkandi, Gauripur Elliotganj, Chandina, Mainamati, Cantonment, Alekharchar, Paduar Bazar Bisho Road, Suyagazi, Miyabazar, Chauddagram Bazar area, multiple passenger microbuses are running. After the government banned three-wheeler traffic on highways, a cycle of unfit vehicles was used to transport passengers. Several responsible sources, who did not want to be named, said that the BRTA had indirectly taken over the responsibility of all the irregularities and accidents on the highway due to lack of manpower. And in this case, their will is everything.
In several places including Elliotganj, Chandina, upon asking several other drivers including unfit microbuses engaged in passenger transport, they said each car had to carry a token. Anyone can bring a car and transport passengers if they want. For a car, you have to pay Tk 2,000 per month depending on the area. Again, each car has to pay 200 Tk daily GP. The money is withdrawn by clerks named workers and leaders and activists of political parties which is unwritten. Tokens are provided with a cycle. It's a cycle of transport work with highway police. It is renewed every month after paying every month. In the vicinity of the highway including Cumilla there are Gauripur, Chandina, Elliotganj, Mainamati cantonment, Chandina-cantonment, Mainamati cantonment, Mainamati cantonment, Paduar Bazar Bisho Road, Dhaka-Chittagong highway of Suyagazi-Miyabahar. Most of which are unfit. These vehicles are competing every day to reach different destinations on the highway by transporting passengers. Accidents are happening due to these vehicles .
Speaking to multiple regular passengers of the microbus, it is learned that the people of the micro bus management committee have occupied the short stops of various important places on the highway. Where long standing passenger buses are standing and people are getting up. Again, the bus owners are crossing the passenger bus by making stands everywhere on the highway. Meanwhile, by the order of the President, Assistant Secretary of the BRTA Establishment Branch of the Highways Department of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges Jasim Uddin issued a notification.
The conditional opportunity to update the vehicle documents by submitting the original curfew without penalty of vehicle documents, fitness, tax token, road permit and driving license has been extended from 8/1/2020 to 30/08/2020. Later it was increased from 30/09/2021 to 31/12/2021. The latest was extended from 4/01/2022 to 26/02/2022. In the future, for the purpose of BRTA road transport owners, the owners of defaulting vehicles will not be given any more opportunity.
Highway East Cumilla Region Superintendent of Police Rahmat Ullah told that due to this order, the highway police could not file a case and fine against any vehicle on the highway. Now that the time limit has been exceeded, highway police will be able to sue vehicles without fitness and tax tokens.
