City bus operators have reacted sharply to harassment inflicted on them in the streets during the ongoing drive against unfit vehicles and delinquent drivers.
Police are harassing transport owners and workers in the name of the month-long drive, they alleged.
The operators demanded assurances of necessary facilities first to regulate the city's bus services.
On Monday, they blamed police for frequently using wreckers despite showing necessary papers.
They accused Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) of not cooperating with delivery of valid documents.
"We're becoming criminals for having buses. Wreckers show up repeatedly," said an owner at a special meeting of Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association (DRTOA).
They sat at a time when the city's traffic situation has deteriorated for lack of public transport.
Khandaker Enayet Ullah, general secretary of the association, chaired the meeting where more than 2,200 bus owners were present.
Mohakhali Bus Terminal Owners Association president Abul Kalam Azad, Kazi Moslem of Suprobath, Mohammad Rafiquzzaman of Ajmeri, Anisur Rahman of Skyline and Abdur Rahim of City Bus, among others, spoke.
Sadekur Rahman of Mohakhali Bus Terminal and Abdul Wadud Nayan of Sayedabad and Nurul Amin Nuru of Fulbaria bus terminal worker unions also spoke.
The operators demanded setting up city bus terminals and providing parking facilities for buses before checking them.
They said the owners count losses every day for not re-fixing bus fares.
Bus operators admitted anomalies prevalent in the city bus transport sector, but they said discipline must also be ensured among police and BRTA.
They also demanded producing skilled drivers through training.
As Sheikh Mohammad Sobujuddin of Mohona Paribahan called for introducing six routes as designed by late mayor Annisul Huq, most of the owners reacted sharply.
They stayed cool when the DRTOA chief said they earlier talked to Bangladesh Bank governor and finance secretary for loans at 4.0 per cent interest rate to replace five-year-old buses with new ones.
Some bus owners also blamed civil-society members at talk shows for arbitrarily blaming bus owners.
Mr Enayet asked the owners to admit to their involvement in creating the unruly traffic situation.
He urged them to abide by the decision made to stop contract bus service and reintroduce seating service by ensuring all five documents needed for each bus.
The association will take the responsibility if anyone is harassed by police or others after having the papers and valid driving licences, Mr Enayet uttered.
He asked the operators to stop unfair competition among each other and complete paintwork on their shabby buses by September.
Mr Enayet called for extending fitness checking time until December 31 as the BRTA and others may fail to provide necessary papers, including driving licences, for heavy vehicles.
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