Blockade again: Long-haul buses ply on limited scale amid fear of violence

On the first day of the 6th phase of the blockade called by the BNP and its allies, a limited number of long-distance buses were seen operating on various routes in the northern and southern parts of the country.

Previously, most buses had remained idle at the terminals during the hartals and blockades enforced by the opposition since 29 October.

Despite the fear and panic among commuters, several buses managed to operate from Savar and Nabinagar on Wednesday with a limited number of passengers.

Additionally, there was a usual flow of public transport from Dhaka to Savar.

During visits to the Savar bus stand and Nabinagar long-haul bus terminal in Dhaka, The Business Standard saw a slight improvement in the activity of passengers and bus operators.

Transport officials of several companies report that a good number of buses departed for various destinations in the country's northern and southern regions since the morning. However, due to a lack of passengers, many trips were cancelled.

Several bus operators alleged that "higher authorities" had pressured them to operate the buses in defiance of the blockade.

Raihan Hasan, counter master of Shyamoli NR Travels in Savar, Dhaka, informed The Business Standard that the ongoing political turmoil, hartals, and blockades have drastically curtailed passenger traffic, causing most of the day to be spent in idleness, unlike previous times when ticket sales and passenger management kept them busy throughout the day.

"We used to have at least 35 trips daily on various routes in north and south Bengal, but now the number of trips has plunged to one-third. Buses barely ply during the day amid the strike. Most trips have to be cancelled due to a lack of passengers, even if they run at night. The prevailing fear and panic among commuters have curtailed long-distance travel unless absolutely necessary."

According to him, two buses of the company departed for Gaibandha and Kushtia at 12:00 noon and 12:30 pm respectively. One bus carried 27 passengers, while the other carried 33.

He expressed the hope that 10-12 additional buses would operate on their respective routes throughout the remainder of the day.

Sohag, counter master of Hanif Enterprises in Savar, told The Business Standard, "Seven of our buses have left for different routes in North Bengal since morning. However, south-bound buses are not operating due to a lack of passengers. If there are enough passengers at night, the trip may be resumed."

While there is an atmosphere of fear and panic, an arson attack on a bus would result in significant losses for the owner, he added.
Passengers have been expressing their frustration with the situation and hope for a return to normalcy. They want peace and are tired of the disruptions caused by the political unrest.

Aswad, a passenger waiting for a bus at the Nabinagar bus terminal, told The Business Standard, "I was doubtful whether I would get a bus to go to Satkhira, but I managed to find one leaving at 3pm."

"How long can the situation continue like this?" he asked. "There is panic, but can we stay home?"