The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Police administrations ordered to close 20 local bus ticket counters operating illegally for inter district passengers on different long routes of the division.

Besides bus owners asked to operate from only one ticket counter at the main inter-district terminal at every district town or city headquarter for long routes.

The decision was taken after a joint meeting between the bus owners association leaders, bus company representatives and police administration officials on Tuesday night at Barisal Nathullabad central bus terminal.

According to this decision except the six central bus terminal of the district headquarters five ticket counters at Nathullabad, Bakerganj, Gournadi and Ichhaldi of Barisal and Lebukhali of Patuakhali district will operate the loading, unloading and ticketing works of the passengers of long and inter district routes.

The other 20 local bus counters including Goriarpar,Rahamatpur,Joyosri, Shanuhar, Batajore, Mahilara,and Shibpur on Barisal-Dhaka highway and Rupatali, Dapdapia,Niamati, Betagi, Kathaltali and other stoppages on Barisal-Patuakhali-Barguna highways operating illegally for ticketing passengers of inter district routes without taking any approval from Bangladesh Road Transportation Authority and must be closed down within next seven days..

Sources said more than 150 buses of 40 road transport companies plying in long distance routes connecting different districts of the country with different destinations of six districts this division.

Unauthorized counters used for ticketing and loading, unloading passenger and goods are not only changed the direct routes to local via routes and counters in different stoppages wasting time and taking extra charges for direct route operations, but also endangered safety and security of the passengers.

It also often created clashes between the local, inter district bus operators, and extended chances to the miscreants of dacoit, aggayan party, and malom party gangs.

Kazi Mortaz Ahmed, deputy police commissioner (headquarter) of Barisal Metropolitan Police said all inter district and local route operator bus companies directed to take proper route permits and collect valid documents including fitness of the vehicles from BRTA .