Corona lockdown batters public transport

NEWS DESK

Public transport has been facing a severe crisis due to coronavirus lockdown, with thousands of vehicles lying idle for over a month now with no plan of survival.

Even ways to minimise health risks by taking measures are also absent to make the vehicles ready for both lockdown and post-coronavirus period, according to transport experts and critics.

They said passengers' lives would be vulnerable if vehicular movement is allowed without proper mechanical overhauling and addressing health issues.

The experts feared further spread of the deadly virus among travellers.

Around 4.0-lakh vehicles are facing some sort of blow as owners and drivers hardly keep engines start and roll tyres time to time, they argued.

"There must be efforts to keep engines on and roll tyres to make these vehicles fit during lockdown and afterwards," said BUET Prof Dr Mohammad Shamsul Hoque.

He said most of the corona-hit nations have launched stimulus packages and a campaign for drivers and operators to ensure passenger safety and virus check.

But talking to the agencies concerned and transport leaders, the FT has found no such preparations to make transport ready taking advantage of the lockdown.

"Who will do the job and how as most drivers stay home now?" said Mohakhali Bus Terminal Owners Association president Abul Kalam Azad.

Scope is scanty to move vehicles in congested bus-truck terminals, he went on to say.

Mr Azad said nobody would think of spending on health and fitness issues when the matter of survival comes first for a total halt to earnings.

Bangladesh Road Transport Owners' Association secretary general Khandaker Enayet Ullah said a majority of owners cannot take care of vehicles for a loss of earnings since March 26.

Daily loss from the sector is no less than Tk 5.0 billion and a majority of members of his association cannot manage bread and butter, he claimed.

The sector is developed based on anarchy with multi-ownership against a single vehicle, free-style extortion and illegal investment allegedly by law-enforcing agencies and political leaders.

It is reported that owner-worker associations have collected at least Tk 300-million daily tolls in the name of welfare fund.

But hardly a penny has been distributed among millions of workers from the fund when the daily earners have no work for more than 40 days, it is alleged.

A bus owner, who has withdrawn investment in Dhaka city, said neither owners nor drivers will pay attention to vehicles after lockdown goes as their earnings depend on daily trips.

"This is an unruly sector with no system, rules, regulations and transparency. So, none will consider the issues of mechanical faults or passenger safety," he said preferring anonymity.

Experts said battery, engine, mobile, tyre and such usually get affected for a long shutdown.

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), the two authorities directly involved with disciplining transport, have taken measures for survival of the sector.

BRTA director (road safety) Mahbub-e-Rabbani said lockdown has kept official activities totally stopped.

In absence of online system, they even cannot hold any meeting to discuss any transport-related issues.

"Let the lockdown go; we'll discuss fitness issues of vehicles," Mr Rabbani told the FT over phone.

But a DTCA official said they have already directed transport associations to make terminals and vehicles ready for relaxed lockdown or post-coronavirus period.

They highlighted the issue of making hand wash system available at terminals and maintaining distance between passengers on seats.

But Prof Hoque of civil engineering department said it is time the government should regulate the sector by introducing a stimulus package for stakeholders.