Shahidul Islam Pilot
Published: 12 Jun 2022, 12:01 pm
Padma Bridge || Photo: Collected
Transport owners of Shariatpur, one of the two districts
connected by the Padma Bridge, have expressed their expectation that massive
changes will take place in the transport sector of the district after the
inauguration of the bridge on June 25.
After the opening of the bridge, direct road communication
will be introduced between Shariatpur and Dhaka. To take advantage of the
direct road communication system, transport owners of the district have already
invested around Tk300 crore to launch new buses over the Padma Bridge from the
very first day of vehicular movement on the bridge.
In a recent visit to the Shariatpur municipality bus
terminal, this correspondent found that construction works for new buses are
underway at the terminal in full swing. Volvo, Ashok Leyland and Tata car
chassis are being installed in the bus bodies. Besides Shariatpur, bus bodies
are being constructed in Dhaka and Savar.
However, local passengers are sceptical about the standard
of the locally made buses. They said buses plying on the regional routes in the
district are below standard and some are even unfit for movement.
They urged the authorities concerned to introduce a standard
transportation system on the Dhaka-Shariatpur route.
According to the district bus owners’ association, some
private companies have taken the initiative to run direct buses on
Shariatpur-Dhaka and Shariatpur-Narayanganj routes. The companies are
Shariatpur Super Service, Shariatpur Padma Travels, Shariatpur Paribahan and
Glory Paribahan.
Every company is planning to introduce new buses on the
routes. Out of these companies, Shariatpur Padma Travels and Shariatpur
Paribahan operate on the Dhaka-Mawa route. All companies have been preparing
300 buses primarily for plying over the Padma Bridge. The construction cost of
each bus is around Tk80-90 lakh. For this, transport owners have invested
around Tk300 crore.
Faruk Ahmed Talukder, president of the district bus owners’
association, said: “We hope we can launch the direct bus service from
Shariatpur to Dhaka from the inauguration day of the Padma Bridge. Some
transport companies have already started their preparations to run the buses.
Only those who have route permits on the Dhaka-Shariatpur route can operate
buses on the route.”
Shariatpur Padma Travels Chairman and Naria Municipality
Mayor Abul Kalam Azad said: “We have been operating a few buses from Dhaka to
Mawa on a trial basis. I hope that the direct bus service from Shariatpur to
Dhaka will be launched on June 25.”
Expressing firm commitment to ensuring the highest service
to the passengers, Ershaduzzaman, director of Shariatpur Paribahan, said they
have AC and non-AC bus services for the Shariatpur-Dhaka route.
Shariatpur Super Service Director Khaleque Palwan said:
“Owners of the Shariatpur transport sector have economically suffered in the
last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We hope after the opening of the
Padma Bridge, economic activities will be boosted in the region. That is why we
reinvested in the sector, eyeing a good result.”
Abbas Kotwal, a resident of Shariatpur, said their
long-cherished dream will become reality, and that they will not have to suffer
on the river route.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will officially open the Padma Bridge on June 25.
This feature article is taken from UNB