Dhaka transporters struggle as earnings collapse in lockdown

Mohammad Abdus Salam, who drives Dishari Paribahan buses in Dhaka, missed government aid during the shutdown over the coronavirus outbreak last year. This year, no one has offered to help him in the two rounds of lockdown.

As the second round of strict restrictions drags on, the 30-year-old decided to do what he never thought of -- pedalling a rickshaw. “I have a baby at home.”      

“We, two drivers, shared the [rickshaw] shifts. But today I'm too sore to walk,” said the driver. “This is what it has come to after a few days of lockdown. My mind goes blank when I try to think of the days ahead.”

A ban on motorised vehicles, including battery-run rickshaws, has forced even elderly drivers to pull rickshaws, said another driver who has also taken up the job of a rickshaw-puller.

“I'd brought some rice from my home village. Otherwise, I would be begging alms now because I'm unable to pedal a rickshaw,” said an elderly bus driver.

“We used to eat meat and fish sometimes. Now we can’t have anything but spinach and vegetables,” said Abu Hanif, a bus driver of New Vision Paribahan who runs a six-member family.

“Everything comes to a standstill for us when the wheels stop running. The entire family depends on a single breadwinner.” 

Some other transport workers in Mirpur said their family meals have become irregular as they cannot borrow from their colleagues whose situation is as dire as theirs. Some are selling belongings, such as TV and fan, to buy food. 

The associations of transporters estimate at least three million workers are directly involved with the operation of 500,000 buses and trucks across the country. The total number is believed to be over five million, including those depending on launches, steamers, autorickshaws and small passenger vehicles.

Many transport workers, stranded in Dhaka due to the coronavirus lockdown, are staying inside buses at Gabtoli terminal as they do have nowhere else to stay in the capital. Photo: Mahmud Zaman Ovi

Most of them get a wage on daily contract basis, and do not have a saving because they spend their earnings considering that they would get money again the next day.

Those who could save some money spent it during the first lockdown in 2020 after the pandemic hit Bangladesh.

A year into the coronavirus outbreak, the country is now embroiled in the worst phase of the pandemic, compounded by the community transmission of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, first found in neighbouring India.

In a bid to curtail the spread of the virus, the government has enforced various restrictions on daily life since April. But as the pandemic curbs failed to have the desired results, the government imposed its harshest lockdown yet on Jul 1.

The lockdowns have forced many workers to return to their home villages with their families from the cities and towns as they failed to pay rent. Some families are sharing homes to stay in the city, hoping that better days are ahead.    

“We tackled the situation with our savings, borrowings and support from the government or local representatives in the first lockdown. But no one is helping us this year. We are helpless!” said Projapoti Paribahan driver Sekander, who gave a single name.

Stranded transport workers eat their meals inside buses at Gatoli terminal in Dhaka amid the coronavirus lockdown. Photo: Mahmud Zaman Ovi

“People can make concessions on everything, but they cannot live without food. So, we are about to die from hunger. We can’t borrow or get our money back from others who had borrowed from us. All our friends are drivers or helpers.”

Tears rolled down the cheeks of Al Amin, a Dishari Paribahan driver, as he described their misery. “We can’t smile when we speak to our children. Poverty is everywhere. Urban life stops for you if you don't have money.”

During recent visits to Gabtoli Bus Terminal, transport workers were spotted among the homeless people receiving food aid.

Al Amin Howlader, who runs a school for homeless children in the area, distributes Khichuri among the homeless people every day now.

He said dozens of transport workers receive the meals along with the homeless people daily.

NO WORK, NO PAY’

Asked about their savings, helper Abu Teher Mia at Gabtoli Bus Terminal said, “The transport workers get their wages in cash every day. Most of them are used to spending the money whimsically as they know they would earn again the next day.” 

With no work, and public movement restricted due to the coronavirus lockdown, a stranded transport worker takes a nap on a lazy afternoon inside a bus at Gabtoli terminal in Dhaka. Photo: Mahmud Zaman Ovi

Moreover, the companies operating long-haul bus services have at least two drivers for each vehicle, so a driver can work a maximum of 15 days a month.

The picture is the same for the helpers as they, along with the drivers, need sleep and rest after long journeys. Many of the drivers earn up to Tk 1,200 a day.

Mohammad Enayet Ullah, president of Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, said the drivers and helpers of his company get work every other day.

“This is how the transport sector is run. They get wages on a ‘no work, no pay’ basis,” he said.

“The workers never get appointed. They earn money only when they work. So when the wheels stop due to a general strike or other reasons, the workers suffer a lot,” said Saiful Islam, an executive member of Dhaka District Road Transport Workers Union.

NO GOVERNMENT AID

During the first lockdown in 2020, the government allocated funds for the poor, and some of the transport workers got help. But workers’ leaders believe the number of such workers would be 1 to 2 percent of the total.     

With no work, and public movement restricted due to the coronavirus lockdown, a stranded transport worker takes a nap on a lazy afternoon at Gabtoli Bust Terminal in Dhaka. Photo: Mahmud Zaman Ovi

Enayet said he personally tries to help the workers and ask others to do so. “But the reality is that the owners are also in huge trouble. They need to pay instalments to banks. The situation is worse for those owning only three to four vehicles.”

His Ena Paribahan has allocated Tk 2.5 million for the workers during the Eid this year, he said.

Abu Rayhan, secretary-general of Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners Association, said, “We, the owners, try to do something for the workers during Eid every year. We’ve demanded something for the workers. But we’ve got nothing.”

Workers' leader Saiful said they submitted a list of 3,500 workers to the Prime Minister’s Office, but no aid has arrived.

Worker Abdus Salam of Mirpur said he had received 20kg of rice during the lockdown last year but nothing has come his way this year.