Bus
Nagar Paribahan bus on 2 new routes to operate in coordination with MRT: Taposh
Dhaka Nagar Paribahan bus on two new routes- No 24 and 25- will be launched coordinating with Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development (Line-6), said Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Fazle Noor Taposh.
“Metro rail has already been launched. Therefore, we have taken the decision that we will operate bus service on the two new routes in coordination with the MRT service. We discussed and reviewed the details of the two new routes in today's meeting”, said the mayor.
The DSCC mayor, also president of the Bus Route Rationalization Committee, made the comment while exchanging views with media personnel after the 26th meeting of the Bus Route Rationalization Committee at Buriganga hall of DNCC head office at Nagar Bhaban.
Replying to a question from a journalist the mayor said, “We are seeing some irregularities. We have especially noticed the trend of travelling the bus without a ticket. But it won’t be allowed in Dhaka Nagar Paribahan anyhow. Everyone must buy a ticket. We have given strict instructions in this regard in today's meeting .”
Mentioning that strict measures will be taken to maintain the quality of passenger service and ensure discipline in Nagar Paribahan, Taposh said, “We have discussed the matter. The BRTC assured that the buses for Dhaka Nagar Paribahan will run only their fixed routes. These buses won’t be allowed to be used anywhere else.”
“We will give a show cause notice to Trans Silva. For that we will give them 15 days. If they show inability or fail to provide this service as per the prescribed rules and regulations, then we will cancel the contract,” he said.
If Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) agrees, then the service will be operated by BRTC as an alternative, the DSCC mayor added.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam said the passes that metrorail passengers have can be also used for all Nagar Paribahan buses and the decision was taken in today's meeting.
“City dwellers can travel on metrorail and Nagar Paribahan buses with the same pass,” he said.
Fifty buses will run initially on these two routes, the DNCC mayor added.
Executive Director of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority Sabiha Parveen, Chairman of BRTA Noor Mohammad Majumdar, BRTC Chairman Md. Tajul Islam, Chief Executive Officer of Dhaka South City Corporation Md. Mizanur Rahman, Joint Police Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (South) SM Mehdi Hasan and other members of the committee were present.
The 2 new Nagar Paribahan routes are
Route No. 24: Ghatarchar - Basila - Mohammadpur Bus Stand - Shishu Mela - Agargaon – From Mirpur 10 Via Kalsi Flyover to Airport - Jasimuddin – Abdullahpur and Route No. 25: Ghatarchar- Basila- Mohammadpur bus stand- Asadgate- Manik Mia Avenue - Khamarbari -Vijay Sarani -Jahangir Gate- Shaheen School- Mohakhali -Kakali- Banani Flyover via Regency- Airport- Jasimuddin- Abdullahpur.
Banglamotor bus fire tamed after more than 30 minutes
A fire that quickly tore through a bus at the Banglamotor intersection of the capital Monday night was brought under control after more than 30 minutes, authorities said.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported till the filling of this report.
The blaze began around 9:30pm inside a bus of Saintmartin Paribahan. The vehicle engulfed in flames as plumes of thick, black smoke rose.
Read more: Woman, daughter burned in N’ganj fire
Two killed as bus rams motorcycle on Rangpur-Dhaka highway
Two people were killed as a speeding bus crashed into their motorcycle on the Rangpur-Dhaka highway in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur Monday, police said.
The two people killed were identified as Limon, 25, of Hajipur village of Barodargah union of the upazila and Roman, 26, of Shantipur village of Mithapukur upazila.
The accident occurred around 4pm as Rangpur-bound Diganta Paribahan hit the motorcycle near the Ghoshpur area, Zakir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Pirganj Police Station, said.
Limon and Roman died instantly from the impact of the crash, he added.
Read more: Student killed as truck runs over him in Chuadanga
All buses on Mirpur route switching to e-ticketing from Sunday
Buses plying Dhaka's Mirpur route will operate under e-ticketing from Sunday (November 13, 2022).
Khandkar Enayet Ullah, general secretary of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, disclosed this information at a press conference on Saturday.
A total of 60 companies' buses will operate in Dhaka city from January 31, while 97 companies' buses for Dhaka and its suburbs will switch over to e-ticketing from next February 28, he said.
Read more: Strike halts bus services between Dhaka and 5 southern districts ahead of BNP's Faridpur rally
The rationale being pushed through this is that it will end the unequal competition in ticketing. Contractual vehicle movements will also be stopped. The third reason is to bring transport workers under a regularised payroll system.
All should come under e-ticketing, Enayet Ullah added.
Read more: BRT’s move to ditch e-buses for diesel raises eyebrows
Bus fares reduced by 5 paisa/km after cut in fuel prices
The government has reduced the fares of inter-district and long route buses by Tk 5 paisa per kilometre after fuel prices were lowered by Tk 5 per litre.
The decision was taken at a meeting held at the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority's (BRTA) head office in the capital’s Banani on Wednesday, said Road Transport and Highways Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Nuri.
The new prices will be effective from Thursday, he added.
The fares for inter-district and long routes buses and mini buses will be decreased to Tk 2.15 per kilometre from the existing Tk 2.20 per kilometre.
The bus fare in Dhaka has decreased to Tk 2.45 per kilometre from the existing Tk 2.50 per kilometre.
The minimum bus and mini buses fares in Dhaka have been fixed at Tk 10 and Tk 8 respectively.
Read: Fuel price hike: Govt raises bus fares
On Monday, the government lowered fuel prices by Tk5 per litre 23 days after raising them by up to 51.68 per cent.
Prices of diesel and kerosene will now be Tk109, petrol Tk125, and octane Tk130 per litre at the filling stations, State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid told UNB.
On August 6, BRTA increased fares of inter-district and long route buses by 22 percent and 16.27 percent in Dhaka as the government increased fuel prices to a record high amid the volatility in the global market.
Diesel and kerosene retail prices were fixed at Tk114, petrol at Tk130 per litre and octane at Tk135 per litre.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) gets a bus from UEFA as gift
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) received a bus from Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) as a gift under UEFA Assist Infrastructure Project 2021-22.The bus was officially inaugurated Wednesday afternoon at the BFF House in Motijheel. BFF vice presidents Ataur Rahman Manik, Mohiuddin Ahmed Mohi, FIIFA council member Mahfuza Akhter Kiron were, among others, present at the function.
Read: BFF sign 3-year MoU with AIUB for developing booters’ educational skillsThe BFF officials thanked two continental football bodies --UEFA and AFC --for proving the bus to BFF. The BFF got the bus through its Asian body AFC.
3 killed in Barishal road crash
Three people were killed and several injured as a bus hit a trolley on Dhaka-Kuakata highway in Bakerganj upazila of Barishal on Monday, said police.
The deceased were identified as trolley driver Zohirul Talukdar, 25, his helpers-Rakib, 23, and Bayezid, 25.
The accident occurred around 10:30 am when the Barishal-bound bus of ‘Humayra Paribhahan’ crashed into the trolley on the highway and plunged into a roadside ditch, said Abul Kashem, leader of Bakerganj Fire Station.
Read:Roads turning more perilous: 10 people killed in Barishal in 24 hours
The accident left the trolley driver dead on spot as the vehicle overturned after being hit by the bus, he added.
The two injured were rushed to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared the duo dead, said Alaudding Milon, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bakerganj police station.
Several passengers of the bus were injured and are undergoing treatment at a local hospital, he added.
Police seized the vehicles but the bus driver managed to flee the scene, the OC added.
FIR lodged over Dhaka BRT girder tragedy
A police case has been filed in connection with the Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) girder tragedy that claimed the lives of five people, all of a family, on Monday.
The FIR for causing death due to negligence does not name anyone but lists the crane operator and the company responsible for the project, China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd, police said.
"The case was filed at Uttara west police station on Monday night on a complaint from Afran Mondol, the brother of two of the deceased -- Fahima and Jhorna," said Md Mohsin, the station's officer-in-charge.
“The crane operator and China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd have been listed in the FIR,” said the OC. "Police will investigate if the negligence of the crane operator and others concerned led to the accident."
Also read: BRT kills again: 5 crushed inside car as girder falls off crane
On Monday, the five, including two children, died after one girder of the BRT project fell on their private car. A newlywed couple also travelling in the same car, fortunately escaped death.
The deceased were identified as Rubel, 50, Fahima, 40, her sister Jhorna, 28, and Jhorna's two children Jannat, 6, and Jakaria, 2, said Yeasin Gazi, inspector of Uttara west police station.
Rubel's son Hridoy, 26, and his wife Ria Moni, 21, escaped with serious injuries and were rushed to a local hospital. "They are currently out of danger," said the officer.
Fahima was Ria Moni's mopther said her brother, Afran Mondol.
The accident occurred around 4.15pm when the girder of the Gazipur Expressway fell on the car from a crane while it was being moved in front of Gazipur Paradise Tower, he added.
Also read: Falling crane kills BRT project worker in Gazipur
Firefighters recovered the five bodies from the ill-fated car and handed those over to the police.
A family member said Hridoy and Ria Moni got married on Saturday and were going to the latter's house in Gazipur, along with five other relatives, in the car that afternoon.
Hridoy's father Rubel was driving the car when the girder fell on the vehicle.
The tragedy occurred exactly a month after a worker was killed by a falling crane in the Gazipur part of the project.
Also, last year, six workers escaped with injuries after a part of a launching girder collapsed near them, close to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
Passenger bus hit vehicle carrying GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday suffered some pain in his body as a passenger bus hit the government vehicle carrying him.
He is now resting at his residence as per his doctor's advice, said the Jatiya Party Chairman’s press secretary (2) Khandaker Deloar Jalali.
Read: GM Quader calls for white paper on corruption in the energy sector
He said the accident occurred on the road adjacent to Le Meridien Hotel in the capital’s Khilkhet area on the way back to his Uttara residence from Jatiya Party Chairman's Banani office at around 5 pm.
Jalali said GM, Quader also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, took necessary medicine as per doctor's advice after dinner.
“He is feeling some pain in his body. He has no symptoms other than body pain,” the press secretary added.
He said GM Quader urged the country’s people to pray for him.
Meanwhile, police seized the bus and arrested its driver.
Jatiya Party leaders and workers have called upon the authorities concerned to take legal action against the driver after an investigation into the incident, said a party press release.
Commuters suffer as buses stay off roads in Ctg
Thousands of commuters faced inconvenience as buses remained off the roads in the port city of Chattogram on Saturday, following a flash strike by transport owners in protest against the fuel price hike.
The decision to embark on the strike was taken around midnight on Friday, Belayet Hossain, president of the Chattogram Metropolitan Transport Owners Group, said.
The government on Friday raised the prices of diesel and kerosene to Tk 114 per litre and that of petrol to Tk 135, which is nearly 52% higher than the current rate.
Also read: Transport strike disrupting goods delivery from Ctg port
As the fuel prices shot up, the owners of a number of petrol pumps also refrained from selling fuel, said Belayet. "We also decided to suspend the movement of buses in the port city."
Last year, the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosine at the retail level by Tk 65 and Tk 80 a litre, respectively.