Dhaka:City buses in Dhaka are not adequately ensuring the safety and comfort of women, children, persons with disabilities, and older people. There are widespread violations of reserved-seat rules, a lack of helpers, and unsafe boarding and alighting practices.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) and the Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum (SCRF) observed over 50 buses on various routes throughout Dhaka in September. They released their findings in a joint press release on Sunday, highlighting that none of the buses complied with government directives to reserve nine seats for women, children, persons with disabilities, freedom fighters, and older people.
The inspection revealed that although some buses displayed notices about the directive, most did not. Observers noted that men often occupied these reserved seats, forcing women, children, persons with disabilities, and older passengers to stand, leading to discomfort and hardship.
The findings indicated that around 80 percent of the buses lacked helpers to assist with passenger management and other operational tasks. Drivers typically rent buses from owners on a daily basis and hire conductors to operate services, paying the rental amount to owners and keeping the remaining earnings. To cut costs, drivers and conductors avoid hiring helpers.
Unsafe practices were also noted at bus stops, with conductors stopping buses at both designated and unauthorized locations, leading to hurried boarding and alighting of passengers. This practice results in minor accidents occurring almost daily.
To address these issues, the NCPSRR and SCRF recommended ensuring the compliance of reserved seats as per government directives, appointing a helper on every bus, ending the daily rental arrangements for buses, and strictly regulating bus stops to prevent unauthorized boarding and alighting.
Ashis Kumar Dey, general secretary of NCPSRR, criticized the bus operations in Dhaka for their disregard for regulations, emphasizing the owners' focus on profit over passenger service quality. He called for immediate action and the deployment of mobile courts to enforce transport regulations.
Lion Mohd Jahangir Alam, general secretary of SCRF, described the findings as indicative of the ongoing disorder in Dhaka's public transport system. He expressed the organizations' commitment to bringing these issues to the government's attention and continuing monitoring efforts throughout the year.