Workers hit hard as bus, launch operation halted

OUR CORRESPONDENTS | Published: July 24, 2024 19:59:42

The countrywide deadlock due to the ongoing curfew and eventual halt to operation of buses and launches for the last six days have kept the drivers and other related workers financial crippled, barring the way for maintenance of their families.
In Chandpur, due to the curfew-induced shutdown, sufferings of the bus and launch workers have mounted.
Due to non-operation of buses and launches, their income has come down to zero much to their frustration. Lunches are lying anchored on the Meghna River bank far away from the jetty.
A launch worker leader, Ali Asgar Sarkar, told the FE that launches would not ply until further notice from the higher authorities.
A total of 25 launches ply daily from Chandpur to Sadarghat vice versa carrying about 20,000 passengers while 7/8 small launches ply daily between Chandpur ghat and Narayanganj touching river banks' village ghats carrying 3,500 people up and down.
A random survey shows due to the shutdown and curfew, the launce owners are incurring a loss of Tk 4.5 million (Tk 45 lakh) daily.
On the other hand, about 40 buses ply the routes to and from Chandpur, Dhaka, Cumilla, Chattogram, Sylhet and Thakurgaon.
At least 20 busses ply from Faridganj, Hajiganj, Sadar, Shahrasti, Kachua and Matlab North and South upazilas daily to Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Cumilla and vice versa, said transport leaders and owners Shafiq Bhuiyan, Mosharraf Hossain and bus worker leader Faruque Mia adding that they have been suffering big loss amounting to around Tk1.1 million (Tk 11 lakh) daily up and down.
In Cox's Bazar, more than 20,000 bus workers have no income as they have remained completely unemployed for the curfew-induced shutdown.
In the present situation, they cannot make a living for their families.
Bus worker Mohammad Akhter Hossain said, "Due to the government-imposed curfew, bus operation remains completely stopped. That is why we do not have any income for the last six days. At the present time we are facing a big financial crisis."
Bus driver Firoz Ahmed said, "The present closure of bus operation means a big loss for my family."
In Rajshahi, according to the Rajshahi Road Transport Association, bus owners of the district are facing a loss of approximately Tk0.6 million (6 lakh) daily for the shutdown.
General Secretary of the association Md Motiul Haque Titu said that about 100-125 buses leave Rajshahi for other cities daily. Moreover, 200 local buses run in the city. Their daily income ranges from Tk2,000 to Tk3,000 each, which is now stopped for the shutdown.
Azizul Islam, a driver of Grameen Travels, said, "We get Tk1,300 for each trip. From 12-13 trips in a month, we get Tk16,000 to Tk 17,000. But as buses are not running now, we are out of income and passing hard days."
Ashikur Rahman, a helper of the same bus, said, "We get Tk1,500 daily if we run four times from Rashahi to Dhaka. In total we get Tk9,000 to Tk10,000 per month. But now we are unemployed."
In Pabna, bus operation has remained stopped for the last five days (July18-22) as elsewhere across the country hampering daily income of the workers.