Transport strike causes untold suffering to Ctg city dwellers

Sufferings of the people, specially office-goers, garment workers and students, knew no bound yesterday as around 600 buses that ply on the city roads under the service were not in operation yesterday.

The bus drivers and owners enforced the strike supported by the City Bus Minibus Human Hauler Association protesting realisation of illegal fine for different allegation from the bus drivers by some traffic sergeants.

Association leaders alleged some of the traffic sergeants whimsically harass bus drivers through awarding fines and seizing vehicles and keeping those in custody for several days to realise excess and illegal fines.

Lineman Secretary of the association Abdul Hakim alleged the department releases some extra fines in the name of different charges like wrecker (vehicle puller) charge without using those.

However, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) (Traffic) Mohammad Abu Sufian denied the allegations of realising extra or illegal fines.

Sufian claimed that there is no chance to realise extra or illegal fines as the department has recently introduced a computerised system for realising fines according to the different clauses of law in order to stop such incidents.

He alleged that many buses of the service with route permit of a definite route try to ply on other routes causing indiscipline in the transport system of the city.