Commuters suffer as ‘hefty-fine rumour among drivers’ leads to fewer vehicles on Dhaka roads
FE ONLINE DESK | November 19, 2019
A ‘hefty-fine rumour among drivers’ has led to public transports thinning out in Dhaka city causing immense sufferings to commuters today (Wednesday).
This happened on the second day of mobile courts conducting drives to ensure the implementation of the new road transport act.
Hardly any public transports except for those of the state-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation were seen plying the roads, local media reported citing commuters on Tuesday.
Gulistan, Purana Paltan and Motijheel where commuters suffered the most due to lack of public transports on the roads.
With the few presence of fewer vehicles in the city streets, many feared a looming wild transport strike in the capital.
But what Dhaka Road Transport Owners’ Association organising secretary Mahbubur Rahman said means nothing like this. He attributted the lack of public vehicles on the roads to a ‘hefty-fine rumour’.
He explained that there was a rumour spread among the transport workers that mobile courts were fining each vehicle Tk 25,000 for not having valid documents, including fitness certificates and driving licences, and that is what made them to keep off the roads.
Rahman added that the presence of the public transports was soon be normal in the city streets as the rumour has already been dispelled from the workers.
The new road law took effect on November 1, but the government delayed its implementation for two weeks for creating awareness among people involved in the law.
As the government started its implementation on Monday, bus drivers and their assistants in 11 districts started an indefinite wildcat strike the next day and their fellows in Gazipur joined them on Tuesday.