Decision of Forming Task-Force Overshadowed Demand for Half Pass

Although no decision has been taken on the half fare of the students in the bus, several proposals including the formation of a task-force have been made by the transport leaders in the meeting. It has been said that a decision will be taken later after considering the proposals.

It is demanded to implement the decision that will come after the formation of the task-force.

BRTA chairman Nur Mohammad Majumder and Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association president Khandaker Enayet Ullah shared the information after the meeting on Saturday (November 27).

The BRTA chairman and transport leaders urged the students to leave the road and return to the educational institution till a decision is taken to halve the bus fare.

BRTA chairman Noor Mohammad Majumder said, "Concessions have been offered by transport leaders. The leaders wanted a statistic of how many educational institutions, how many students, how many people use buses. The Ministry of Education will provide that information."

Regarding the formation of the task force, the BRTA chairman said, "Transport leaders are sincere in implementing half fare on buses. But a proposal has been made to form a task force with the government and those involved in transport to decide how to compensate for the losses and how much subsidy will be given. we will inform the government about the task force."

Khandaker Enayet Ullah, secretary-general of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association, said the government was trying to resolve the students' demands logically. 80% of the bus owners in Dhaka are poor. The government will have to decide how to compensate the bus owners for the loss of half the fare. We have made some suggestions. I have proposed to form a task force with everyone."

At the request of the students, the transport leader said, "Bus vandalism and beatings of workers continue demanding half fare." Students will be requested to return to the educational institution."

Asked when the task force would be formed, the BRTA chairman said, "This is a new proposal. The formation of the task-force will be decided later."

Senior officials including BRTA held talks with the leaders of Bus Owners 'Association and Workers' Federation at the BRTA office around 12:15 pm on Saturday to address the issue of half fare for students.

From there a decision was to be made on the matter.

The meeting was attended by Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association President Abdul Baten Babu, General Secretary Khandaker Enayet Ullah, BRT Chairman Nur Mohammad Majumder, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Ashfaq and other senior BRTA officials.

Besides, leaders of bus owners' association and workers federation also took part in the meeting.