Home ›› 27 Dec 2022 ›› Nation
Nagar Express bus services failed to fulfil the assurance of improved passenger service made to the public after a year of its re-launch in Sylhet city.
The bus service was first launched in 2017 but was shut down due to the pandemic in 2020. Before its re-launch, the bus owners association had stated they will provide free Wi-Fi service for the passengers. The buses were also supposed to have closed-circuit video surveillance.
Separate buses for women with female drivers and conductors were assured. School buses for students and e-ticketing services were also supposed to be a part of the services.
However, none of these promises were fulfilled so far.
Nagar Express bus services were re-launched on December 26 last year with the vision of reducing public suffering due to a lack of public transport shortage.
Although 41 buses were supposed to be launched, initially this service was launched with 21 buses. The bus owners association later said more buses will be added depending on the demand.
The bus owners association turned away the offer to buy 20 more buses from the vehicle importer company Nitol Niloy Group. Out of the previously launched 21 buses, only 11 or 12 now run regularly.
On condition of anonymity, a Nagar Express bus owners association source said experimentally CCTV surveillance was installed in three buses, but the rest of the work was shelved due to the Covid pandemic.
After the lockdown was lifted and buses were permitted to run on the streets again, the association found that the cameras and recorders had been stolen in the meantime.
However, the convener of Nagar Express City Bus Owners Group, Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) Councilor Makhlishur Rahman Kamran said CCTV cameras have not been installed yet. “The CCTV installation was halted due to the lockdown,” he said.
Regarding the separate bus service for women, he said, “There is one bus designated for only female passengers, however, the driver and conductor are men. The training programme for female bus drivers was also halted due to the pandemic.”
In regard to refusing the offer to buy more buses, Makhlishur said the owners rejected the offer because the vehicles were not up to standard.
“Returning the buses also reduced instalment costs. We plan to spend that money on implementing an e-ticketing process and modernising the buses,” he said. In regards to the proposed Wi-Fi facilities, Makhlishur said, “We have spoken to all the Internet Service Provider (ISP) companies in Sylhet but no one is capable of providing Wi-Fi service in buses. We are currently looking for alternative means.”
The Nagar Express buses do not have a designated terminal. The buses are parked all around the city. Some are parked on the banks of the Surma River, and some are at the central truck terminal in Parairchak.
On the topic of a bus terminal, Makhlishur said the previously designated space for the terminal had a lawsuit so they are currently looking into finding land for a terminal.
There are allegations of misconduct by the drivers and conductors. According to locals, the drivers recklessly drive the buses at alarming speed.
Alam Mia, a businessman from the Mirabazar area of the city, said, “Drivers and conductors often misbehave with passengers and charge extra. They even threaten passengers. Also, most of those hired as assistant bus drivers seem to be minors.”
Regarding the allegations of misconduct, Makhlishur Rahman said there are no opportunities of charging an additional fare as passengers cannot ride the bus without a ticket.
“If the driver or conductor refuses to provide a ticket with the proper fare the passengers will board the bus for free,” he said, adding that action will be taken against the driver and conductor if such allegations are proved.
