Amid the government ‘special bus service’ to ease the home-bound readymade garment workers’ journey ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, workers in Gazipur have allegedly got no service.
The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has made a special arrangement of as many as 59 buses including that of 30 buses were set to be kept ready at Gazipur on Monday (Jun 3), deputy general manager (operation) of BRTC Moniruzzaman Babu told the media on Saturday (Jun 1).
Local BTRC authorities have claimed that all arrangement is set for the special service.
On spot visits at BTRC depot at Gazipur’s city Technagarpara on Monday, BTRC staffers were seen sticking “Eid Special Service” stickers on buses that were later kept standing in a queue on the adjacent Dhaka-Mymensing Highway.
A total of 30 buses have been booked to carry RMG workers, said BTRC Instructor Tamij Uddin.
Quite the opposite, apparel workers in Gazipur alleged that they have been deprived of the service, which BTRC authorities couldn’t clarify.
Poli, a swing operator at CA Garments Limited in the area, said she left her workplace in the morning for home and had no idea on the government’s special arrangement for RMG workers’ transportation.
‘I came to Chanda intersection at 10am and couldn’t manage to board any bus till 12pm, let alone to notice any BTRC bus exclusively for the workers,” said another worker, Russell, who works at a clothing factory in Tongi.
The workers blamed both factory owners and BRTC authorities for not letting them know about the BTRC Eid service.
“We couldn’t inform our workers as no one let us know about the Eid special service,” said Syed Shamshur Rahman, general manager (human resource and administration) at Khantex Fashions Limited.
Another general manager (human resource and administration) from Shuhhur Khan echoed Rahman.
Meanwhile, BTRC took initiatives to raise awareness among the drivers, who will operate the special service buses.
“The drivers have received training on road management and how to behave with passengers,” said Instructor Tamij Uddin.
Bangla Tribune had approached to the BTRC Deputy General Manager Engineer Fatema Begun she was unavailable for comment.
“Engineer Fatema joined the office after three days. She is busy and won’t talk to the media now,” Tamij Uddin told Bangla Tribune.