Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday directed the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) to start operating its long-distance buses immediately amid the opposition called countrywide rail-road-waterway blockade. “The BRTC is a state-owned entity. It should serve the people’s interests. It is not acceptable that only private vehicles will ply on the streets while the BRTC buses remain idle inside garages. You (BRTC) must operate them from now on,” he said at a meeting held at the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) office at Elenbari in the capital.
Among others, Shipping and Liberation War Affairs Minister Shajahan Khan, BRTA Chairman Nazrul Islam, BRTC Chairman Jasim Uddin, transport leaders and high officials of different law enforcing agencies attended the meeting.
The communications minister also urged the private bus owners to run their vehicles during blockades and said that the government will ensure their security.
“We are operating BRTC buses in the capital and the decision to run long-distance buses has been taken. We hope to resume services this evening,” BRTC chairman Jasim Uddin Ahmed informed the meeting.
39 BRTC buses were torched while another 153 were damaged during the recent blockade programmes, the BRTC chairman informed the meeting. At the meeting, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Highway Police Asaduzzaman said, a few long-distance buses were operating for the last two days under police protection.
“The situation is improving and the law-enforcers are ready to support them,” he added. The meeting also formed a monitoring
cell headed by DIG Asaduzzaman. The monitoring cell will ensure security to the passengers and buses during opposition blockades and other political programmes.
On Saturday, shipping minister Shajahan Khan claimed that long distance bus services have resumed. He also assured to compensate bus owners if buses got damaged during blockades. But most of the bus owners did not respond to the minister’s call.
-With The Independent input
