Buses to ply with 50% passengers from 15 Jan, fares unchanged
Public transports will operate at half of their capacities from Saturday and at the previous fare, said the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).
"Buses will carry 50% passengers but the fare won't be hiked this time," confirmed BRTA Director Md Sarwar Alam on Wednesday following a meeting with the leaders of transport owners and workers.
According to a BRTA notification issued in this regard, bus drivers and their helpers must be vaccinated in order to be allowed to operate their respective vehicles.
The other BRTA directives are – all Covid-19 health safety protocols have to be strictly followed, vehicles have to be properly sanitised after and before every trip, and social distancing has to be maintained at all times.
Meanwhile, the leaders of transport owners and workers demanded the government allow them operate buses at their full capacities maintaining proper health protocols as flights are allowed to operate at 100% of their capacities.
The buses will not carry passengers beyond the number of seats in a bus, they said.
On Monday, the government imposed restrictions on public movement and other activities like operating public transport at their half capacities amid the growing concern over the new Omicron variant of Coronavirus.
The Cabinet Division issued the notification on Monday which takes effect from today (13 January) and will remain in force until further notice.
