Covid-19: Health guidelines disappeared from public transport

No one is following the health guidelines anywhere although both coronavirus infections and deaths are rising for the last couple of days.

While visiting the bus, train and launch terminals in the capital from last Sunday to Tuesday, Prothom Alo correspondents found people are not caring the risks of highly contagious virus.

According to the government directives, public transports should carry passengers equal to the number of the seats in compliance with the health guidelines.

The public transports were barred from carrying passengers standing. All including drivers and his assistants must wear masks. No passengers will be allowed to get in the public transports without masks.

However, while visiting different bus stands in the capital, Prothom Alo correspondents found that the buses are crammed with extra passengers. Passengers are being picked up without masks. The bus drivers and their assistants did not have masks on their faces. Once there was a system of giving sanitizer to the passengers before getting on the bus, now there is no such thing.

Passengers and transport workers at the Sadarghat launch terminal were seen careless about using masks too. Although the passengers were seen wearing masks at the Kamalapur railway station, they removed their masks upon getting on the train.

A bus of Basumati Paribahan of Gabtoli-Gazipur Chowrasta route was picking up passengers from Kalshi bus stand on Sunday. Every seat of the bus was filled. Some 17-18 passengers were standing in a huddle. The driver, his assistant and most of the passengers were not wearing masks.

Driver’s assistant of that bus, Ilias Hossain said, “Sergeants do not give time to stop the bus. We have to pick the passengers in a hurry. Where is the time to check whether the passengers are wearing masks or not. I have my own mask. Sometimes I remove it when it is hot.”

The government closed all the public transport from 26 March to 31 May last year to prevent the spread of coronavirus. From 1 September, the government allowed public transports to operate with passengers equal to the number of the seats in compliance with the health guidelines.

Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association (BRTOA) general secretary Enayet Ullah told Prothom Alo on Tuesday that passengers and transport workers are indifferent in wearing masks. The owners will be sent letters to take steps about wearing masks compulsorily.

Health minister Zahid Maleque said in a programme at the secretariat last Monday that the government will be strict again on maintaining health guidelines as the coronavirus infection is increasing rapidly. Mobile courts will be conducted.

Visiting the MV Karnafuli anchored at the Sadarghat it was seen that hundreds of people were sitting and lying on the two lower decks of the three storied launch. Most of them except a few do not have masks on their face. The elderly people, who are in serous risk of coronavirus infection, were sitting in a huddle too.

Although the passengers were seen wearing masks at the Kamalapur railway station, they removed their masks upon getting on the train.