Action for taking bus wrong side: DU proctor

Dhaka University authorities will take steps against those responsible for taking its bus on the wrong side today defying warning.

DU Proctor Prof Amzad Ali warned of action this evening, hours into the university’s Mirpur-bound double-decker bus Chaitali took the wrong side in Shahbagh area.

READ MORE: Again! DU bus on wrong side

“I’ve already informed the matter to the transport manager, and summoned the president and general secretary [of Chaitali bus student committee] along with the driver to my office tomorrow,” he told The Daily Star.

He also assured of “taking steps against the students if they made the bus to take on the wrong side”.

READ MORE: DU to cancel route if its buses use wrong side

Earlier around 1:30 pm, the driver of Chaitali, the Mirpur-bound bus from the campus, was seen plying the wrong side near the National Museum.

It took the right side lane through the gap of the road divider in order to avoid a jam on the left side of the road that led to Shahbagh intersection.

READ MORE: Stop driving on wrong sides, says HC

The driver, who identified himself as Kamrul, told the correspondent that he was compelled by the students to take the wrong side.

Hafizar, the traffic constable, told the correspondent that he let the driver of the student bus go on the wrong side as he wanted to avoid any kind of trouble. 

READ MORE: Going on the wrong side is just plain wrong!

Contacted by the correspondent, a top official of the traffic division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said that now they will wait and see what steps the university authorities take.

The DU authorities on July 25 took a decision to cancel a route if university buses are seen using the wrong side of the road after their repeated efforts to stop the menace.

The decision came following recent media reports showing that the double-deckers of DU are frequent violators of traffic rules.

READ MORE: When wrong is right! (video)

Bus service on a route will be cancelled if the authorities receive any complaint about traffic rule violation from the traffic control department and any teacher or student, the authorities said.

The order will be given after verifying the vehicle's number plate and video or photograph of the incident, if available, it said.

Not only the buses of the different universities and colleges, vehicles of ministers, lawmakers, police and journalists were seen taking wrong routes often.