Public transport will continue to operate on November 13 despite the lockdown announced by the Awami League, the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association has confirmed. Workers have also been instructed to travel cautiously.
The information was shared on Wednesday (November 12) afternoon by the association’s Joint General Secretary Kazi Md. Zobayer Masud.
“Just like any other day, public transport will run on the roads tomorrow. However, to prevent any incidents of fire on buses, transport owners and the authorities of each bus terminal have been issued letters urging caution. The letters also instruct them to ensure that fire extinguishers are available on all buses,” Zobayer Masud said.
He added that on the night of November 10, a bus in Fulbaria Upazila, Mymensingh, was set on fire by miscreants, resulting in the death of one transport worker, while two others were injured. In protest of the incident, transport workers staged demonstrations at bus terminals across Dhaka and other parts of the country on Wednesday. They plan to maintain vigil at the terminals overnight and tomorrow.
Meanwhile, miscreants have been carrying out acts of arson and throwing crude explosive cocktails at vehicles in Dhaka and other parts of the country, disrupting road transport. As a result, traffic, including private cars and public buses, has been slightly lower on the city’s roads compared to normal days.
The situation has raised concerns among commuters about whether public transport will operate during Thursday’s lockdown and whether buses are equipped with fire-fighting equipment. Zahidul Islam, a passenger traveling from Agargaon on an Alif Transport bus toward Badda Link Road, said, “The incidents of arson and explosive attacks over the past two days have created panic among the public. Because of this, fewer vehicles are on the roads today. It’s unclear whether buses will run tomorrow or if they are equipped to handle fire emergencies.”
