Tight security on highways: Long-distance buses and covered vans, along with goods vehicles plying

The Dhaka Times Desk Long distance buses are plying on some routes on the highway. Long-distance buses have been plying since the shipping minister held a meeting with the bus owners and promised to provide them with security. Cargo vehicles including covered vans have also started plying.

In view of the ongoing violence in the recent hartal-blockade by the opposition 18-party alliance led by BNP, the government has strengthened the security measures on the main roads and highways of the country for the last 5 days. Especially on some highways including Dhaka-Chittagong, the movement of passenger and cargo vehicles has started under police guard. However, the protesters set fire to a BRTC bus in Noakhali yesterday while police were guarding it. Along with Police-RAB-BGB, Army is also patrolling those highways as part of winter exercise. The army will go on election duty from next Thursday. Security measures are expected to improve further from that day.

Meanwhile, although the number of passengers has been low for the past few days, the movement of cargo trucks and covered vans on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway has increased due to the strengthening of security. Passenger long-distance bus traffic has increased. Similarly, the movement of cargo trucks and covered vans from Jessore-Benapole to Dhaka has also increased at a double rate.

According to media sources, due to the strengthening of security on the highway, the fear of importers and exporters and the owners of industrial factories and business establishments has been greatly reduced. The risk to vehicle drivers is also reduced to a great extent.

Businessmen and industrialists say that the country's economy is the most affected by the strike-blockade. Business organizations, mills and industries have to pay the loss. In this, the production-oriented organizations and the lives of thousands of workers involved in production are at risk. Therefore, if this sector is kept normal, the standard of living of the people will be maintained.

The businessmen said that the economic wheel has fallen into extreme disaster due to strike-blockade. However, if the movement of cargo trucks and covered vans on all roads and highways of the country including Dhaka-Chittagong and Jessore-Dhaka highways can be made normal and smooth, the economic condition will be normal. They demanded to strengthen security measures on these highways.