Stop conspiracy against BRTC buses, locally-made carriers

C'nawabganj people submit memo to DC

1 November 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Chapainawabganj

Drivers and owners of locally designed vehicles Nasimon, Karimon and Bhotbhoti join a procession organised by locals in Chapainawabganj town yesterday to press home their demand for stopping 'conspiracy' against plying of the vehicles and BRTC buses in the district.Photo: STAR

Nagorik Adhikar Adai Committee (committee for realisation of citizens' rights) yesterday brought out a procession in the district town and submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner demanding not to stop plying of BRTC buses and locally designed vehicles Nasimon, Karimon and Bhotbhoti. Shallow power pump engine driven Nasimon, Karimon and Bhotbhoti play an important role in the rural areas for carrying vegetables and other agricultural products from remote corners to the district town and other places, speakers said at rally held before submitting the memorandum. If it is stopped, prices of agricultural products including vegetables will go up in the district, they said, adding that the low cost transport is also used to carry passengers including patients, especially in rural areas and it is available at any time of the day. At least 10 thousand families involved in the business will suffer greatly if it is stopped. Alleging private bus drivers' and conductors' bad behaviour with passengers, the speakers said the private bus owners are hatching conspiracy to stop BRTC buses, which provide better service for the passengers, only to monopolise the business and fleece passengers. The speakers also demanded plying of government-owned double decker BRTC bus every hour from Chapainawabganj to other districts, keeping fair of private buses under control, provision for concession for students bus fair, steps to make shallow power pump engine-driven Nasimon, Karimon and Bhotbhoti a legal transport through registration, arrangement of intercity train from Chapainawabganj to the capital and other districts and installation of a pipe line to supply gas in the town. They urged the government and the local administration not to stop plying of government-owned buses and vehicles run by shallow power pump engines in Chapainawabganj. Toriqul Alam Siddique, convener of Nagorik Adhikar Adai Committee, Motiul Islam Shipon, member of the committee, Bahram Ali, member of Chapainawabganj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Younus Ali, president of district Mango Traders Association, and Firoj Ahmed, member of District Teachers Association, student leaders Akhtar Hamiduzzaman Khokon and Ziaur Rahman and Nasimon driver Abdul Halim spoke at the rally. A large number of drivers and owners of Nasimon, Karimon and Bhotbhoti attended the procession and rally with their vehicles. Different organisations of vegetable, fish and mango traders, students and teachers supported their demands from the rally. Earlier a procession organised by the committee paraded main streets of the town.