Dhaka-munshiganj Route: Bus services suspended on cracked road

Just one day after bus services resumed on the Dhaka-Mymensingh route, bus owners suspended operations on the Dhaka-Munshiganj route yesterday citing the worn-out condition of the road.

Sanaullah Bepari, general secretary of Munshiganj Bus Owners' Association, said it was not possible to run buses on the dilapidated roads. The suspension of bus operation would continue until the roads are repaired, he said.

Our Munshiganj correspondent reported that the endless number of potholes on the highway forced transport owners to suspend bus operation, causing immense suffering to the public.

"This is not a strike. We have stopped bus operation due to the treacherous roads. It has become too risky to use," said Jaglul Halder, chairman of Dighirpar Paribahan of Dhaka-Munshiganj-Dighirpar route.

Menawhile, after resumption of services yesterday the Dhaka-Mymensingh route saw only about 30 percent of the usual number of vehicles plying the road.

Abul Kalam, president of bus owners' association of Mohakhali bus terminal, said many operators did not bring out their buses fearing further damage to their vehicles.

Khandaker Enyet Ullah, secretary general of Dhaka Sarak Paribahan Samity, told The Daily Star yesterday about the terrible traffic congestion on the Dhaka-Mymensingh route.

"It took over thrice the usual time to reach Mymensingh from Dhaka," he said.

Transport owners halted bus service on the route on Thursday last week saying the highway is now too risky. They decided to resume operation Tuesday night following the communications minister's assurance that the dilapidated roads would be repaired on urgent basis.

There are two routes from Dhaka to Munshiganj. One is the Dhaka-Narayanganj-Munshiganj route and the other Dhaka-Sirajdikhan-Munshiganj. Bus operations on the first route stopped in the morning while the second route was abandoned in the afternoon.

Our Narayanganj correspondent adds: Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Narayanganj-Munshiganj route remained suspended for 8 hours yesterday after a van overturned on a large hole on the highway.

Source : The Daily Star