Govt allows public transports, ferries to carry workers

Public transports, ferries and launches carrying passengers have been allowed till 12 pm to help workers of the export-oriented sector to travel to their workplace to join office from Sunday.

The directives came after thousands of workers started heading towards Dhaka as the government allowed export-oriented factories to open from Sunday amid the ongoing lockdown.

“Passengers carrying launches will be allowed to run till 12:00pm. This is aimed at ensuring smother return of workers employed in the country’s export-oriented industries,” Joynal Abedin, joint director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), told The Business Post on Saturday.

“On basis of a verbal directive from the government, we have decided to run buses till 12 pm only to carry apparel workers,” Khandaker Enayetullah, general secretary of Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association, confirmed.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan confirmed that the government has allowed buses, ferries and launches to carry passengers in a bid help workers in the export-oriented industry reach their workplaces.

On the other hand, movement of public transports also would be relaxed, he added.