Stir fear keeps buses off roads: Quader

BNP behind resignation demand, claims Shajahan

Bus owners have kept their vehicles off the streets out of fear of the on-going students’ movement, road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader said yesterday. Also, yesterday, shipping minister Shajahan Khan claimed that the demand for his resignation was the handiwork of the BNP even as agitated students hit the streets for the 5th consecutive day, demanding punishment for those responsible for the death of two fellow students in a road accident on Sunday.

“We have requested bus owners and transport workers to ply their vehicles on the streets,” Quader told reporters after a meeting with the Indian high commissioner, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, at the secretariat. The owners and transport workers have stopped plying their vehicles, disrupting transport services between Dhaka and different districts as well as city services. The minister said he was aware about the sufferings of commuters. “We are operating BRTC services. But private bus owners have refused to ply their vehicles out of fear that they may be vandalized or set on fire,” he added.

“We are trying to persuade them to operate their services. They could operate their services as the level of fear was not high today. We have requested them to ply their vehicles. Now, let’s see what happens,” said Quader, who is also the general secretary of Awami League.

The minister said he was happy that he would be able to pass the Road Transport Act in the next parliament session. “It would help to restore discipline on the roads as well as in the transport sector. The necessary legal provisions will be incorporated in the Act in public interest,” he added. Quader said all the demands made by the students have

been addressed in the proposed Act. “Its implementation will curb reckless driving and fatal accidents on the roads,” he said.

In a related development, shipping minister said the demand for his resignation was not raised by agitated students by BNP leaders.

“I don’t know if the issue regarding my resignation was a media creation or not. But, I have seen a newspaper report in which the BNP secretary general, Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, demanded my ouster,” Shajahan Khan told reporters. “The BNP has also demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and want her government to step down. So, I have no comment regarding the BNP’s demand,” he added.

The minister further claimed there was no mention of his resignation in the 9-point charter of demands issued by the agitated students. “They only sought an apology and I told them to consider my statement as coming from an apologetic mind,” he added.

 

Stir fear keeps buses off roads: Quader

BNP behind resignation demand, claims Shajahan

Bus owners have kept their vehicles off the streets out of fear of the on-going students movement, road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader said yesterday. Also, yesterday, shipping minister Shajahan Khan claimed that the demand for his resignation was the handiwork of the BNP even as agitated students hit the streets for the 5th consecutive day, demanding punishment for those responsible for the death of two fellow students in a road accident on Sunday. We have requested bus owners and transport workers to ply their vehicles on the streets, Quader told reporters after a meeting with the Indian high commissioner, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, at the secretariat. The owners and transport workers have stopped plying their vehicles, disrupting transport services between Dhaka and different districts as well as city services. The minister said he was aware about the sufferings of commuters. We are operating BRTC services. But private bus owners have refused to ply their vehicles out of fear that they may be vandalized or set on fire, he added. We are trying to persuade them to operate their services. They could operate their services as the level of fear was not high today. We have requested them to ply their vehicles. Now, lets see what happens, said Quader, who is also the general secretary of Awami League. The minister said he was happy that he would be able to pass the Road Transport Act in the next parliament session. It would help to restore discipline on the roads as well as in the transport sector. The necessary legal provisions will be incorporated in the Act in public interest, he added. Quader said all the demands made by the students have been addressed in the proposed Act. Its implementation will curb reckless driving and fatal accidents on the roads, he said. In a related development, shipping minister said the demand for his resignation was not raised by agitated students by BNP leaders. I dont know if the issue regarding my resignation was a media creation or not. But, I have seen a newspaper report in which the BNP secretary general, Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, demanded my ouster, Shajahan Khan told reporters. The BNP has also demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and want her government to step down. So, I have no comment regarding the BNPs demand, he added. The minister further claimed there was no mention of his resignation in the 9-point charter of demands issued by the agitated students. They only sought an apology and I told them to consider my statement as coming from an apologetic mind, he added.