Public transport on ‘limited scale’ with limited number of passenger

In keeping with the government decision, buses, trains and launches will begin to operate on a ‘limited scale’ from Sunday. The railway authorities will lessen the number of trains as well as tickets. Launches will ensure passengers maintain social distancing on the decks. But road transport faces a lot of complications, especially on the question of social distancing.

A decision regarding these matters will be taken at a meeting being held on Thursday with owners and workers of the Bangladesh Road Transport Association (BRTA) sector and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) sector. The railway minister will hold a meeting with senior officials on Saturday.

The railway authorities are prepared to run 8 intercity trains on a limited scale from Sunday. Another 9 intercity trains will start to operate from 3 June. Tickets will be sold for only half the number of seats to ensure social distancing. These matters were finalised at a meeting headed by the railway minister.

Social distancing is maintained in the launch cabins and BIWTA wants to ensure that passengers on the decks will maintain at least 3ft space between each other. The matter is being discussed at a meeting with launch owners on Thursday afternoon. Disinfecting the passengers and the vessels is also being discussed.

The road transport ministry is aware that it will not be able to decrease public transport and so is not looking into this. From Sunday public transport will begin all over, but the ministry wants to ensure that the passengers will sit with one seat gap between each other. Also, they do not want passengers to stand in the buses.

Ministry sources say that these gaps in sitting arrangements may push the bus fares up and the question is how the fares will be determined.

Ride sharing in Dhaka and other cities of the country is also a popular form of commute and BRTA has not come up with anything about how to maintain social distancing on a motor bike.

As it is there have been long-standing complaints about high fare in both long distance and city transport. If passengers are reduced in number, fares are bound to increase. But several transport owners and workers have said that there is still fear among the public and so there may not be many passengers in the beginning. If there are few passengers, there will be few buses.

BRTA chairman (acting), Yusuf Ali Molla, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, emphasis will be placed on carrying less passengers, keeping hand sanitisers in the buses and having hand washing facilities at the terminals. Decisions in this regard will be taken at the meeting being held on Thursday.

Secretary general of the Bangladesh road transport owners’ association, Khondokar Enayet Ullah, said they have taken all preparations to start transport service and the details will be finalised at Thursday’s meeting.

Secretary general of Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association, Mozammel Huq Chowdhury, told Prothom Alo that the transport owners will take advantage of the fewer number of passengers and hike up the fares. This will not be right because once the fare goes up, it will never come down again. If necessary, the government can lower the price of fuel. And the army can be given charge of managing the sector.

17 trains to run

Passenger trains will run on a limited scale from Sunday. The steps being taken by the railway authorities include - 1. Starting 17 intercity trains in two phases, 2. Selling tickets for only half the number of seats, 3. Cutting down on number of stops, 4. Having arrangements for hand sanitisers as well as soap in the bathrooms.

Eight trains will begin from Sunday. These will be – Sonar Bangla and Suborna Express of the Dhaka-Chattogram route, Kalni Express of the Dhaka-Sylhet route, Panchgarh Express of the Panchagarh route, Bonolata Express of the Dhaka-Rajshahi route, Lalmonirhat Express of the Dhaka-Lalmonirhat route, Udoyon/Paharika Express of the Chattogram-Sylhet route and Chitra Express of the Dhaka-Khulna route.

Another 9 trains will start from 3 June. These will be – Teesta Express (Dhaka-Dewanganjbazar), Benapole Express (Dhaka-Benapole), Nilsagar (Dhaka-Chilahati), Rupsha Express (Khulna-Chilahati), Kopotakhya Express (Khulna-Rajshahi), Modhumati Express (Rajshahi-Goalandaghat), Meghna Express (Chattogram-Chandpur), Kishoreganj Express (Dhaka-Kishoreganj) and Upokul Express (Dhaka-Noakhali).

An official of the railway, on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that that even if only 50 per cent of the tickets are sold, in some places passengers may forcefully board the train without any ticket. Fewer trains may mean more crowds.

Director general of Bangladesh Railway, Md Shamsuzzaman, told Prothom Alo that passenger trains service will begin on a limited scale with only a few intercity trains. This will be reassessed after 7 days. Passengers’ demands and the actual situation can be determined after the trains run for 15 days.

Health regulations on launches

BIWTA wants to ensure 3 factors: 1. Keeping the launches disinfected, 2. Disinfecting the passengers before they board the launch, and 3. Carrying fewer passengers than normal. Launch owners will be given directives accordingly.

BIWTA chairman commodore Golam Sadeq said, while speaking to Prothom Alo, directives have been issued for each passenger to be assigned a 6 ft space. The gap between each passenger should be 3 ft or 3.5 ft. This will ensure social distancing. Cabins are safe. The river police and coast guard will assistant in ensuring that social distancing is maintained. They will strictly monitor the disinfection of the vessels and the passengers.

This report has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir