Bagerhat, Sept 15 (V7N) — Transport owners in southern Bangladesh have demanded the closure of unauthorized BRTC counters and a ban on unregulated vehicles such as easy bikes, Mahindra, Nasimon, and Korimon on highways, citing safety risks and financial losses.
 
The call was made at a press conference on Sunday afternoon at the Bagerhat Press Club auditorium, organized by the Inter-District Bus, Minibus, Coach, and Microbus Owners’ Association of Bagerhat. Representatives from seven transport owners’ associations covering Khulna, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, and Barisal districts joined the initiative.
 
In a written statement, transport leaders alleged that unauthorized BRTC-branded vehicles, purchased through auctions and repaired informally, were being operated illegally on regional roads without government approval. They claimed that some local depot officials colluded with vested groups to allow such vehicles to operate, creating disorder and undermining the livelihoods of licensed owners and workers.
 
The associations also voiced strong concerns over the proliferation of illegal and unsafe vehicles like easy bikes, Mahindra, Nasimon, and Korimon, which operate without licenses, driver training, or tax payments. They argued that while legal bus operators pay millions in taxes annually, these unauthorized vehicles contribute nothing to the state but cause frequent accidents and worsen traffic chaos.
 
Government regulations have already prohibited such vehicles on highways and regional roads, but enforcement remains inadequate, they said.
 
The press conference was attended by association leaders including Md. Shahidul Islam, General Secretary of the Bagerhat Owners’ Association; Senior Vice-President Shahjahan Mina; Vice-President Zia Uddin; Joint General Secretary Abul Kalam Azad; Organizing Secretary Abdullah An Noman; Finance Secretary Motiur Rahman; and Line Secretary Sardar Jasim, along with other members.
 
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