‘Take unfit vehicles off roads, rivers’

Passengers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (PWAB) yesterday demanded unfit vehicles be taken off highways and river routes to avoid accidents during the journeys of home-goers ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, reports UNB.
The passenger-rights body came up with the demand at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters Unity. According to police, upto 6 million (60 lakh) of its inhabitants are expected to leave capital city Dhaka alone, ahead of Eid on Tuesday.
With most offices having seen off their last working day and commenced what will be an extended vacation this year, the rush already started since Thursday.
PWAB secretary general Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury said homebound passengers experience sufferings ahead of Eid every year, but their suffering has reached an acute level this year due to poor state of highways and hiked-up fares.
He said although the government has already upgraded several highways into four lanes, passengers are not benefiting in the absence of separate lanes for mass transportation.
Hoque predicted a slightly more modest 46 lakh (4.6 million) passengers will leave Dhaka to go to their village homes for Eid-ul-Azha this year, and urged the authorities concerned to take effective steps so that transport owners cannot charge extra fare from passengers.

Take unfit vehicles off roads, rivers

Passengers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (PWAB) yesterday demanded unfit vehicles be taken off highways and river routes to avoid accidents during the journeys of home-goers ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, reports UNB. The passenger-rights body came up with the demand at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters Unity. According to police, upto 6 million (60 lakh) of its inhabitants are expected to leave capital city Dhaka alone, ahead of Eid on Tuesday. With most offices having seen off their last working day and commenced what will be an extended vacation this year, the rush already started since Thursday. PWAB secretary general Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury said homebound passengers experience sufferings ahead of Eid every year, but their suffering has reached an acute level this year due to poor state of highways and hiked-up fares. He said although the government has already upgraded several highways into four lanes, passengers are not benefiting in the absence of separate lanes for mass transportation. Hoque predicted a slightly more modest 46 lakh (4.6 million) passengers will leave Dhaka to go to their village homes for Eid-ul-Azha this year, and urged the authorities concerned to take effective steps so that transport owners cannot charge extra fare from passengers.