A group of bus workers in Barisal have allegedly beaten up a family as they spoke against carrying passengers disobeying the government's directive of 50 percent occupancy.
The incident happened Friday morning at the city's Rupatoli bus stand.
The victim family members are Shamim Shikder, 27, Hasnur Begum, 55, Karima, and Munia, 7.
Victim Shamim Shikdar said he collected tickets for Mothbaria paying extra following the government directives but the supervisor was not maintaining the rule and took extra standby passengers.
“As I protested this, 20-25 workers from the bus stand including the helper and supervisor started thrashing me inside the bus. When my family members went to stop them, they got beaten too,” he said
"They also threw 7-year-old Munia out the bus window,” said Shamim.
Witnesses said led by supervisor of a Mahmi Paribahan bus Munna, workers of Rupatoli and Jhalakathi bus owners association beat the family mercilessly.
All internal route buses in Barishal disobey government’s directive and take excessive passengers as authority doesn’t check, said the locals.
However, General Secretary of Rupatoli bus owners association, Kawsar Hossain Shipon claimed the workers of Jhalakati bus owners association had actually beaten the family and it happened outside the bus stand.
He said he can only request the Jhalkati association to take action. If he takes action they will move their buses to Jhalakathi and won’t allow any bus from Barisal to enter Jhalakathi.
Rupatoli bus owners association’s lines secretary, Jahangir Hossain Shamim said he is aware of the attack and provided the victims with primary treatments.