An increasing number of buses in Chittagong city are changing routes without any prior permission from Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), causing suffering to commuters every day.
Most passenger complaints were against buses which are supposed to ply Route 10.
The route runs from Patenga Sea Beach Road to Bahadderhat via areas of EPZ, Female Hostel, Customs, Fakirhaat, Barek Building, Agrabad, Chowmohoni, Tigerpass, Lal Khan Bazar, GEC Mor, Sholoshohor Number 2 Gate and Muradpur.
Commuters stated that the bus drivers whimsically take to other routes, especially Route 6 and 7.
Route 6 runs from Katgor near Patenga to Laldighi area via Agrabad, Tigerpass, Station Road and New Market while Route 7 runs from Colonel Hat to Laldighi area via Boro Pul, Agrabad and New Market.
The bus owners blamed traffic jams and dilapidated roads for the malpractice.
However, bus drivers held the owners' high rent demands and the lack of passengers responsible for plying on alternative routes so as to make faster round trips.
“We can make only four round trips on Route 10 instead of the eight we are supposed to make,” said one driver, Mohiuddin.
The absence of remedial measures from the authorities concerned causes a lack of buses on some routes and an excess in others.
“I miss the train to my university most of the time due to a shortage of buses on Route 10,” said Eshita Chowdhury, a Chittagong University student.
A bank employee Abidur Rahman said reaching office was a battle as the search for alternative vehicles on the route cost him time, money and energy.
BRTA issued road permits for 76 buses and minibuses till 2012.
BRTA Deputy Director SK Biswas said, “We only issue the route permit. It is CMP's responsibility to check whether they are plying on their designated routes. If CMP's traffic department remains vigilant, the problem can be solved easily.”
CMP Traffic Division Deputy Commissioner Kusum Dewan said following directions from Regional Transport Committee (RTC) before Eid-ul-Azha, they had found some buses to be involved in the malpractice.
“We monitor all public and mini buses at regular intervals. RTC serves show cause notices on offenders and afterwards we cancel the route permits or file cases,” she said.
However, Gulam Rasul Babul, additional secretary general of Chittagong District Road Transport Owners' Group, denied the allegation of illegal route changes.
“Some drivers and owners changed routes with the authority's permission. The main reason is dilapidated roads which cause huge traffic jams on some routes,” he said.
He said drivers found illegally changing routes would not be rented out vehicles.
He also said vehicle shortages were a result of some vehicles, too old and unsuitable for use, being sold off.
BRTA Transport Record Keeper Mohammad Harun said, “No application for change of routes was accepted in the last 18 months.”