Drive against expired buses, resistance from transport leaders

Transport sector owners and workers’ leaders once again obstructed efforts to remove outdated and rundown buses and trucks from the road.

They are also pressuring the government to relax penalties under the Road Transport Act and have threatened to paralyse the transport sector through strikes if their demands are not met.

During the previous 15 and a half years of Awami League rule, initiatives to remove old buses and trucks were similarly thwarted by pro-government transport leaders. They also stalled full implementation of the Road Transport Act through strikes and protests.

The same pattern continues under the interim government. While former transport leaders loyal to the Awami League are either in jail or in hiding, current leadership is dominated by BNP-affiliated figures.

On 20 July, the government launched a campaign to remove buses and minibuses older than 20 years, and trucks and covered vans older than 25 years. The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), the sector’s regulatory body, began seizing old, dilapidated vehicles through mobile court operations.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners-Workers Coordination Council held a press conference yesterday at the National Press Club in Dhaka, where they presented eight demands.

One of the key demands was extending the lifespan limit for commercial vehicles (currently 20 years for buses/minibuses and 25 years for trucks/covered vans) to 30 years.

They also called for amendments to the Road Transport Act, particularly the clause prescribing jail time in case of fatalities in road accidents. They threatened a nationwide 72-hour transport strike starting 12 August if their demands are not met.

The press conference was attended by prominent figures such as Kafil Uddin Ahmed, President of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association; Executive President MA Baten; and General Secretary Saiful Alam — all known BNP affiliates.

Worker leaders included Abdur Rahim Baksh Dudu, President of the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, and General Secretary Humayun Kabir Khan.

Humayun Kabir Khan is a joint labour affairs secretary in BNP’s central committee, while Abdur Rahim Baksh is a vice president of BNP’s Sramik Dal.

During the Awami League government, the workers’ federation was led by former minister and Awami League Presidium member Shahjahan Khan. The owners’ association was led by Moshiur Rahman Ranga, a leader of the AL’s ally Jatiya Party, and Enayet Ullah, a leader of Dhaka city Awami League.

In May 2023, the former Awami League government had issued a gazette notification setting the economic lifespan of buses at 20 years and trucks/covered vans at 25 years. It had also announced plans to remove such vehicles. However, that decision was revoked in August 2023, allegedly due to pressure from transport leaders.

After taking office, the interim government reinstated the previous order on 6 June and decided to remove the expired vehicles from roads. BRTA began enforcement on 20 July.

According to BRTA data, there are 80,309 expired and rundown vehicles currently operating on roads.

After the fall of the Awami League government during the July mass uprising, the interim government was formed on 8 August.

Under this new administration, two meetings have been held to restore discipline to the transport sector and reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. The first was on 24 October last year, and the second on 19 December.

Two major decisions came from the 24 October meeting. First, vehicles that had exceeded their economic lifespan would have their registration cancelled and would be withdrawn from the roads and destroyed at dumping stations after six months. Second, to help owners replace old vehicles, the government would facilitate bank loans on easy terms.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, this initiative involves coordination with other government departments including the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Local Government.

Following the government’s decision, BRTA issued public notices regarding the removal of 20-year-old buses and 25-year-old trucks/covered vans from Dhaka. On 16 January, it sent letters to vehicle owners’ associations, stating that they could seek government assistance in obtaining bank loans to replace expired vehicles. However, there was hardly any response from transport owners.

Saidur Rahman, Executive Director of Road Safety Foundation, told Prothom Alo, “Protests demanding that expired vehicles be allowed to continue operating or obstructing the government’s efforts are completely illegal. Our research shows that most accidents are caused by expired vehicles and reckless driving. Operating expired vehicles that lead to deaths is equivalent to murder. The government must not bow to this pressure.”