Transport owners have started operating the long-route buses on a limited scale, thanks to an improved law and order situation following the imposition of a nationwide curfew. However, train service is yet to start operation.

Curfew has been imposed across the country as the student movement for reforms in government job quotas turned violent, leading to the killing of over 150 people in clashes across the country.

Inter-city buses remained inoperative for the past four days since Friday. Lots of passengers remained stranded being unable to go to their destination.

It has been learnt that a few transport vehicles have departed towards their destinations from the capital Dhaka on Tuesday. Some inter-city buses were scheduled to depart for their destinations at night.

Transport owners are running their buses towards different destinations, including Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Sylhet, Khulna, Naogaon, Rangpur and Kushtia from Dhaka.

Besides, 70 buses left Chattogram with tourists stranded in various tourist spots on Tuesday morning.

In reply to a query on inter-city buses, the Bus Truck Owners’ Association Joint Genral Secretary and Shyamoli NR Travels MD, Suvankar Ghosh Rakesh, told the Daily Sun that transport owners are incurring losses due to transport stoppage.

“Moreover, considering the woes of passengers, we have decided to operate buses on a limited scale on several routes. The buses will run when curfew will be relaxed. For the purpose, we have sought cooperation of the members of law enforcement authorities. At risky spots, the buses will be escorted by the joint forces. We are hopeful that inter-city buses will start operating in full scale when curfew will be lifted.”

Meanwhile, on the fourth day of curfew too, the sufferings of long-route bus passengers knew no bound. As the long-route buses remained stopped, Rakibul Hasan, who works at a lab of a non-government hospital in Dhaka, reached Jatrabari from Laxmipur after changing several buses at different spots since morning. 

He told the Daily Sun, “I went home before imposition of curfew. I got stranded as transport vehicles did not ply for sometime. I stayed at home due to non-availability of inter-city buses.

“Everything was stopped, but hospital services did not stop. So, to join the office, I departed for Dhaka changing buses at several spots.”  

As the inter-city buses remained stopped, small vehicles that run locally, are taking advantage of the situation. These vehicle owners are extracting additional fare from passengers making them hostages. Besides additional time, the passengers have to spend double the amount of fare.

Some other passengers, who also arrived Jatrabari from different destinations like Noakhali, Laxmipur and Chandpur, echoed in the same manner as that of Rakibul.

Train-launch service still closed

Passenger and goods-laden trains are not running across the country since 19 July. No train left Dhaka during the past five days.

Launches are also not running as launch owners have decided not to run launches amid curfew. There is dearth of launch passengers. “In the ongoing abnormal situation, passengers are reluctant to travel by launch,” informed the launch owners.    

Regarding resumption of train service, railway officials have informed that trains will not run as long as curfew remain enforced. We shall inform about resumption of train service after lifting of curfew with normalisation of situation. However, it will take time to resume train service despite lifting of curfew.