Commuters have been suffering a lot for the past 13 days as the bus workers on the Sylhet-M’singh went on an indefinite strike from August 1 following a conflict between the authorities concerned of the two routes. Bus movement on the Sylhet-Mymensingh route remains suspended since August 1, causing immense sufferings to the Sylhet, Mymensingh, Netrakona and Kishoreganj-bound passengers. Some 4-5 buses were operative on Sylhet route and 60-70 buses were operative on Mymensingh route. The Mymensingh Bus Owners Association obstructed the Sylhet Bus owners to move in Sylhet, said Ziaul Kabir Palash, general secretary of Sylhet District bus Owners Association. Read: Commuters suffer as buses stay off roads As a result, no buses were left from the terminal from August 1.The commuters failed to buy tickets for Mymensingh as they went on the strike without any prior notice. However, a meeting will be held on Sunday where the two groups of bus owners association will take final decision. The meeting was scheduled to be held at ‘Madhabpur Highway Inn’.

The death toll in the head-on collision between two buses in Boraigram upazila of Natore on Saturday has risen to 9. With the latest figure, a total of nine people including two siblings were killed and 10 others were injured in the accident.  Two of the deceased were identified as Kawsar Ali, 16, and his sister Sadia, 12, while the identities of the others could not be known yet. Munshi Shahab Uddin, superintendent of Bogura Highway Police, said the accident occurred around 11.15am when a Rajshahi-bound ‘National Travel Paribahan’ bus from Dhaka crashed into another bus coming from the opposite direction. Also Read: Collision between buses leaves 7 dead in Natore The crash left six people dead on the spot, he said, adding that the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals and clinics. "Of the injured, a woman succumbed to her injuries at a clinic in the Banpara area." Eye-witnesses attributed the accident to reckless driving on the part of the two bus drivers. On information, deputy commissioner Shamim Ahmed, police superintendent Liton Kumar Saha and superintendent of Bogura Highway Police Munshi Shahab Uddin have visited the spot.  Deputy commissioner Shamim Ahmed said families of the deceased will be given all sorts of assistance from the administration.  Liton Kumar Saha said the accident took place due to over confidence of the driver of ‘National Travel Paribahan’.  Road accidents in Bangladesh As many as 6,284 people, including 927 women and 734 children, were killed in 5,371 reported road accidents across the country in 2021. Road Safety Foundation (RSF), an organisation that campaigns for safe roads, on Saturday revealed a new report on 2021 accidents on Bangladesh's perilous roads. According to the report, 7,468 people suffered injuries in road accidents last year Besides, 166 died in road accidents in March this year in Bangladesh, according to a report by Bangladesh Human Rights Commission (BHRC).  

At least 20 passengers were injured in a collision of four buses and a private car in Phulpur upazila of Mymensingh on Friday, police said. Abdullah Al Mamun, officer-in-charge (OC) of Phulpur police station, said a bus collided head on with a Dhaka-bound bus from Sherpur at Imadpur in Phulpur around 11am. Also read: Two killed in Khulna road accidents Soon afterwards, two more buses hit the collided buses from behind and also a private car, leaving at least 20 people injured, said the OC. Among the injured, 10 were sent to Phulpur Health Complex while the rest were released with first aid. Also read: 2 killed in separate road crashes in city Although the road was closed for a while after the accident, the situation is now normal, said the OC.

A three-member committee has been formed to probe into the incident of setting 12 buses on fire in Goalchamte of Faridpur. The committee has been asked to submit the report within five working days, said Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Atul Sarkar on Sunday. Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Investigation) Md Imdad Hossain has been made the head of the committee. The other two members of the committee are Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Sumon Ranjan Sarkar and Additional Superintendent of Police (DSB) Helaluddin. A case was also filed in this regard. Read: 12 buses set on fire in Faridpur ASP Sumon Ranjan Sarkar said a security guard looking after of the seized buses, was being questioned. Steps are on to arrest the culprits after identifying them, he added. Earlier on Saturday, at least 12 buses of ‘South Line’ Paribahan were set on fire by unidentified miscreants at the terminal in Goalchamte of Faridpur district town around 1.30am. Some 22 buses were parked at the terminal. All the buses -- owned by former Awami League leader Sajjad Hossain Barkat and his brother Imtiaz Hossain Rubel, had been kept at the terminal since their seizure by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in June 2020. On information, fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze was eventually extinguished. Suraiya Parveen, wife of Barkat, said that a local court on February 25, 2020, ordered the seizure of 55 vehicles, owned by Barkat-Rubel. Read: 5 alleged passport brokers arrested in Faridpur On March 3 last year, the CID filed a charge sheet against 10 people, including Barkat and Rubel, in a Tk 2,000-crore money laundering case. CID's assistant superintendent Uttam Kumar Biswas submitted the charge sheet in the Dhaka metropolitan magistrate's court.

Buses are going to run at 100 per cent of their capacities from Saturday, said Khandaker Enayet Ullah, secretary general of Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association. But the buses will not carry passengers beyond the number of seats in a bus, he added. Earlier, the leaders of transport owners and workers proposed the government allow them operate buses at their full capacities maintaining proper health protocols. “It becomes impossible to transport passengers at half capacity during office hours as all private and govt offices are open. So, we’ve asked (BRTA) to allow us to take passengers on all seats." Considering the proposal, “the ministry verbally confirmed but no official order has been issued yet,” Enayet Ullah said. " Hand sanitisers will have to be kept inside buses, all have to wear masks and bus staff will have to keep vaccine certificates with them during their duty, he added" On Monday, the government imposed restrictions on public movement and other activities like operating public transport at their half capacities amid the growing concern over the new Omicron variant of Coronavirus.

Buses will operate at half of their capacities from Saturday and at the previous fare, said the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). “Buses will carry 50 per cent passengers but the fare won’t be hiked this time,” said BRTA director Md Sarwar Alam. The decision was taken at a meeting with the leaders of transport owners and workers on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the leaders of transport owners and workers demanded the government allow them operate buses at their full capacities maintaining proper health protocols as flights are allowed to operate at 100 per cent of their capacities. READ: Extra fares in public transports: 1408 buses fined Tk 57.3 lakh in 30 days  The buses will not carry passengers beyond the number of seats in a bus, they said. The BRTA director said a recommendation will be submitted to the cabinet on Thursday in this regard. On Monday, the government imposed restrictions on public movement and other activities like operating public transport at their half capacities amid the growing concern over the new Omicron variant of Coronavirus. READ: Govt to allow half fares in BRTC buses for students: Obaidul Quader The Cabinet Division issued the notification on Monday which will take effect on January 13 and will remain in force until further notice.

Two buses of a private transport company were gutted in a fire at a motor garage in the city's Motijheel area on Sunday. The fire broke out around 11:05 am in the garage at Gopibagh Balur Math area. Six units of firefighters rushed to the spot and doused the fire after around one hour of hectic effort , said Ershad Hossain, an official of the control room of Fire Service and Civil Defense. READ: N’ganj Factory fire: Sajeeb Group chairman, two sons granted bail