The government has backtracked on its decision to leave Corona with half the seats vacant on public transport. According to the new decision, passengers will be transported as many seats as there are seats in public transport.
The news of the change of decision came on the first day (Thursday) of the ban.
Khandaker Enayet Ullah, president of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, told the media that BRTA chairman Nur Mohammad Majumder had told us that from Saturday, public transport will be able to carry as many passengers as it has seats. Because when half of the passengers travel, there is a transport crisis. Passengers and transport drivers and helpers have been asked to adhere to strict hygiene rules.
“We have conveyed this message of BRTA to all transport owners,” he said. In this case, strict action will be taken against those who do not follow the health rules of the government.
Corona infections have been on the rise in the country for several weeks now. Many are getting infected with the new variant of Corona Omicron. This has caused concern. Therefore, the government has given new 11-point instructions to keep the situation under control. A notification in this regard has also been issued.
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According to the official notification, the concerned authorities will issue specific instructions including the date of implementation of the restriction, and drivers and assistants of all types of vehicles must have a coroner’s sticker certificate.
The circular issued by the cabinet department on Monday (January 10) directed buses to carry half of the total seats from January 13 to control the corona infection.
After that directive, bus owners started pressuring the government to increase fares. In this situation, the Chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Nur Mohammad Majumder sat in a meeting with the concerned stakeholders on Wednesday afternoon at the BRTA head office in Banani.
After the meeting with the owners and labor leaders, the BRTA chairman said that from Saturday, public transport will continue with passengers leaving one seat vacant following the health rules. The rent will not increase. Passengers will have to be transported at the existing fare. However, the owners have requested the government to allow them to carry as many passengers as possible.
The day after the announcement of BRTA, the decision was changed and it was decided to carry as many passengers as possible.