Maintain health directives, social distancing while operating public transport: Quader

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday again requested transport owners and workers to maintain health directives and social distancing while operating public transport during the Covid-19 crisis.

He made the comment at a videoconference with officials of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), according to a press release.

"Public transport has been running across the country from yesterday on certain conditions. Most of the health directives were followed on the first day. But there have also been allegations of health guidelines not being maintained in some places," he added.

Quader also said spread of the coronavirus could be prevented through awareness and by maintaining social distance. Ignorance and relaxation could further intensify the crisis, he added.

"BRTC buses need to be transformed into models of infection prevention and health awareness as well as vehicles of public confidence," he further said.

The Road Transport and Bridges minister also called upon the BRTC to come out of its circle of irregularities and corruption and turn the corporation to a profitable one.

He also directed the BRTC to take initiatives for installing tracking devices on buses and introducing digital ticketing service.