District Correspondent

Long-distance bus services on the Jamalpur–Dhaka route have been suspended by the Jamalpur District Bus-Minibus Owners’ Association following allegations of bus vandalism, attacks on drivers and staff, and theft of money. No long-distance buses left Jamalpur Central Bus Terminal from Thursday morning.

The sudden suspension left hundreds of passengers stranded at the terminal. Many tried to reach their destinations using alternative modes of transport. Passengers also alleged that they were being charged excessively high fares.

According to reports, around 7pm on August 31, a Rajib Paribahan bus collided head-on with a battery-powered auto-rickshaw in the Laherikanda area of Jamalpur Sadar upazila. The bus overturned onto the auto-rickshaw, killing four people and injuring at least 15 others.

In protest against the accident, local residents held a human chain in the Nandina area of Sadar upazila on Wednesday afternoon, demanding that Rajib Paribahan bus services be stopped. During the programme, two Rajib Paribahan buses travelling from Dhaka to Jamalpur were allegedly vandalised.

Bus drivers said that, in addition to vandalising the buses, attackers assaulted staff members and took money from them. They said they were feeling insecure as a result. In protest, the bus owners’ association decided to suspend services, demanding that those responsible be brought to justice and security be ensured.

Harun-or-Rashid, joint convener of the Jamalpur District Bus-Minibus Owners’ Association, said, “People are vandalising our homes and assaulting drivers. No driver deliberately causes an accident. We are feeling insecure. Bus services will remain suspended until security is ensured.”

Meanwhile, ordinary passengers have been facing severe difficulties due to the suspension. Alif, a private-sector employee, said he had an important meeting in Dhaka. He came to the terminal in the morning and learned that bus services had been suspended. As there were no trains either, he wanted to travel by microbus as an alternative, but he said he was being asked to pay Tk 6,000 in fare.

“There are many people like me here. We are suffering greatly because the buses were suddenly suspended,” he said.

Nazmus Sakib, officer-in-charge (OC) of Jamalpur Sadar Police Station, said they would talk to the bus drivers and try to reduce passengers’ suffering as soon as possible.

However, several attempts were made to contact Sakhawat Hossain Shuvo, general secretary of the Jamalpur District Bus-Minibus Owners’ Association, by phone regarding the matter, but he could not be reached.