Owners to seek govt help as students demanding half fare vandalise buses
The students claimed that the transport workers treated them badly when they asked about the half fare facility
Students of different institutions vandalised a number of buses in the capital on Saturday morning when they were denied the "half fare" facility.
The buses were not allowing the students to pay half fare and treated them badly when they asked about the facility, said the students.
Following the incident, the bus owners decided to seek government assistance so that no such incident takes place in future.
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Md Harun, a representative of Road Transport Owners Association, said, "The students vandalised more than 30 buses of different companies, including Silva, Rajanigandha, Safety, Metro, Savar Paribahan, Tanjil, Bikash and VIP Paribahan."
"About Tk50,000-Tk60,000 will be required to repair each bus. We will take action after a meeting with the owners of the harmed buses," he said.
Regarding the half fare for the students, he said, "We are private companies and there is no way we can provide half fare facility by giving subsidies. Around 10-15 students get aboard on each bus."
Road Transport Owners Association Office Secretary Samdani Khandaker said, "We will sit with the concerned government department to address the issue."
Inspector (investigation) of Dhanmondi police station Mohammad Syful Islam said the students of Dhaka City College, Dhaka College, Imperial College and Ideal College gathered in groups and started vandalising buses. One group headed towards the Science Lab intersection and another to Elephant Road.
He said, "They caused the destruction so suddenly that no one could predict it beforehand. However, no passenger was hurt in the incident."
According to an eyewitness named Ashraful Islam, the students of Dhaka City College and Dhaka College vandalised buses on the road from City College to Katabon.
The protesting students shattered the front glasses and windows of around 30 buses, beat the transport workers and snatched the keys of two buses.
Immediately after the incident, police dispersed the protesters, but they did not detain anyone.
About legal action, Dhanmondi police station Officer-In-Charge Md Ekram Ali Mia said, "If the bus owners file any case, we will take action against the perpetrators."
