Thousands of transport owners and workers across the country are passing hard days because of a drastic fall in their income due to the on-going political turmoil, owners and workers said.
Almost cent per cent of transport owners failed to pay bank's loan installments and more than eighty per cent of the workers cannot even afford to arrange meal once a day for the last couple of months due to the political unrest.
Most of the transport workers are ultra poor and they cannot save money for bad days, say owners.
"Numerous staff of thousands of buses as well as trucks are passing an agonising time for the last four to six months. They neither can go to their village home nor stay in their workplace for want of money," President of Association of Bus Companies (ABC), Khandakar Rafiqul Hossain Kajal told the FE Sunday.
"The scenarios of workers' families are the worst. Thousands of minor boys and girls of their families are leading an inhuman life for want of money," he added.
Mr Kazal said that the political parties "only think about their own political goals, none of them think about us".
"Transport sector is the worst victim of their political game," he observed.
Md Alauddin, owner of Green Line Paribahan, one of the country's leading luxury passenger bus companies, said that he provided financial support to over one thousand staff of his organisation until last week ignoring the repayment of bank loans.
"But now he is not in a position to fund such arrangements further. This has thrown members of his staff into uncertainty," he observed.
"I have spent my last penny for food and lodging of my staff. But now I can neither run buses nor bear the staff's expenditure", he added.
"My company has a liability of around Tk 650 million to different banks and has to pay around Tk 15 million every month in installments. But for the last six months, I could not make any repayment of loans to banks," he added.
The Association of Bus-Truck Owners of Bangladesh wrote a letter to the central bank's governor requesting him for waivers on interest against bank loans and rescheduling of their loans, considering the present political situation.
Ahmed Sultan, a truck driver said his company has directed him not to operate truck during the period of any 'hartal', blockade or other political programme.
"I could not carry goods for the last six months fearing vandalism and torching of vehicles in the name of 'hartal' and related violence," he added.
"During the period, I could not pay more than Tk 3,500/= per month to my family. How can a landless family of four members can survive with such a small amount of money?" he posed a question.
"I even did not go to see my one and a half years old baby for the last two months for want of money."
A general manager of Nitol-Niloy group said that over ninety per cent of their clients failed to pay back their dues for the last couple of months due to the frequent shutdown, gridlock and other violent forms of political activities.
"We could not even communicate with our customers who bought buses with funds provided by us for their repayment in installments. The bus owners even keep their cell phones switched off to avoid any follow-ups," he added.
However, the leaders of other transport owners associations and workers' organizations urged both the major political parties to sit together for a solution in the greater interest of the nation.
"We earnestly request the ruling and opposition parties to find out an amicable solution to the conflict. Otherwise, the ultimate victims would be the innocent people, not the political leaders," Mr Kajal said.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
