The New Nation - Internet Edition

Professor M Zahidul Haque

We feel indeed proud when we see that like the advanced countries, our country has also developed modern and luxurious road transport facilities. But in my opinion, maintenance and passenger services in our transport is very poor.

Recently I traveled to Cox's Bazaar by the Volvo bus of Shohag Paribahan Private Ltd. It was no doubt a luxurious bus service. But I am afraid, the company takes less care to keep their vehicles in perfect order so that passengers could enjoy a hassle free and comfortable journey and reach to the destination safely and in time.

The bus, which was carrying us to Cox's Bazaar suddenly got its air-conditioning system totally collapsed throwing its passengers into untold sufferings. It was then nearly 30 km away from Chittagong. It was announced by the guide that the current bus would be replaced and we were to board on another bus at Shohag's Chittagong counter. When we reached the Chittagong counter, we faced some problems as there were only a few number of wash rooms/toilets. Anyway, with much difficulty the passengers freshened them and boarded on the replaced bus themselves carrying their hand baggage. Thanks Heaven! The Shohag Paribahan bus reached Cox's Bazaar around 9 pm.

In another occasion, a few months back, I traveled to Sylhet by Shohag Volvo bus. On the way the bus went out of order after re-fuelling at a petrol pump in Rupganj (Narayanganj). The driver reported damage of the filter. They had neither any spare part with them nor Shohag company maintains any reserve bus to rescue stranded passengers in case a bus goes out of order on the highway. A lot of cell calls were made both by the Shohag guide and passengers with the Shohag head office.

After nearly three hours, a technician of the company arrived at the scene with a spare filter and fixed it only within ten minutes! But for this we had to remain stranded at Rupganj for three hours. What a splendid service!

Another experience! When we were returning back to Dhaka by Shohag Paribahan (as we had returned tickets) we saw an out-of-order Shohag bus stranded on Dhaka-Chittagong highway with its driver taking rest by the side of the bus under the open air.

The helper from our bus ran to the other side of the road to give water bottles to the driver of the stranded bus which, was given from Shohag Chittagong counter. When enquired, it was understood that the bus had gone out of order two days back and awaiting technical help from the head office!

Meanwhile I didn't like the system of hospitality Shohag offers to its passengers. To every passenger the company provides a bottle of drinking water plus a small pack of biscuit. In addition, they entertain the business class passenger with a fruit juice pack. In the bus, there were some children. They were asking the guide if he could give them fruit juice packs. It was really embarrassing. Later the business class passengers gave all their juice packs to the children. I think, whatever the company provides for entertaining the passengers, every passenger should be treated equally.

Would the Shohag authority please take a note of the aforesaid matters and take initiatives for bringing improvements to their services thereby lifting Shohag's status to a world-class transport company.