Some Dhaka buses defy decision to scrap daily deposit system, run on contract

Some operators are defying the decision by the owners to cancel the system of operating buses on daily deposits or contracts with workers in an effort to curb road accidents in Dhaka.

Obaidur Masumbdnews24.com
Published : 9 August 2018, 07:33 PM
Updated : 9 August 2018, 07:33 PM

Owners’ organisation Dhaka Road Transport Association cancelled membership of five companies on Thursday for not following their decision.

In the system that has been scrapped, the transport workers – drivers or conductors – would give the owners fixed amounts at the end of the day or shift, leading to frantic races to get more passengers.

The workers will receive wages from the owners in line with the new system, which is expected to keep the drivers away from the speeding that often cause accidents.

Khandker Enayet Ullah, General Secretary of the owners’ association, told a press briefing on Wednesday that they would expel a member and recommend cancellation of registration if they operate buses on contracts.

But on Thursday, a driver of Sayedabad-Gazipur route’s Balaka Paribahan said he was not aware of the latest decision.

He and the conductor took the bus from the owner on a Tk 3,000 contract for the day, the driver said.

“The owner has set us a target of giving him Tk 3,000 at the end of the day. We two (driver and conductor) will take the rest of the money after paying other expenses,” he said.

Many buses of Suprovat Paribahan were being operated in the same old system on Sadarghat-Gazipur route.

A driver of the company said they need to pay the owners Tk 3,500 a day.

“Most of the buses on this route are run on the basis of targets. We don’t know about the new rules. The owner gave us the target today too,” he said.   

Turag Paribahan owners were still charging the workers Tk 2,000 per day on the same route.

Another Suprovat driver said some of their buses were run on waybill system, in which the owners employ checkers to count passengers and the workers need to pay the owners the amount suggested by the checkers.

In return, the owners pay the workers wages in this system.

The workers of Anabil Paribahan that operates buses from Gazipur to Signboard have to pay Tk 9,000 daily, including expenses, a driver said.

Enayet Ulaah said they cancelled membership of Ajmeri, DNK, SkyLine, Suprovat and Gabtoli-Sadarghat Paribahan for continuing the contract system.

“We won’t spare anyone. Everyone who won’t follow our rules will face the music. We will not stop before ending the contract-based bus operation,” he said.

The transport owners’ leader also said four teams of the association would check whether the bus operators are following the new rules.