Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, in a bid to beef up security, has made the installation of CCTV cameras mandatory in all long-haul coaches across the country.
The decision aims to curb rising incidents of robbery, mugging, and harassment of female passengers during inter-district travel. It was announced through an official circular signed by the association’s General Secretary, Md Saiful Alam. The circular has already been communicated to all district and company-level branch committees.
The directive cites a recent surge in criminal activities on buses, including theft, assault, and particularly the harassment of women, as well as a troubling increase in road accidents due to over speeding. Bus owners have been instructed to install both CCTV surveillance systems and speed governors in every long-distance vehicle, to bolster safety and security of passengers during coming Eid-ul-Azha holidays.
Earlier, on 8 April, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) had urged the association to take immediate action. The government has also issued firm instructions to ensure enforcement of the measures.
According to the latest guidelines, all buses must be equipped with the required safety devices by June 1. Failure to comply will result in organizational and legal actions against the bus owners.