Owners and transport workers of sleeper AC buses staged a demonstration in Dhaka’s Banani area on Sunday, blocking a major thoroughfare to demand official legal recognition for sleeper coaches across the country.
The protest comes amid heightened safety concerns over hundreds of unauthorised double-decker buses operating on national highways.
Gathering outside the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) headquarters at approximately 1:10pm, protesters halted traffic moving from Banani towards Mohakhali. DMP Traffic Assistant Commissioner Ishrakul Kabir confirmed police were monitoring the demonstration.
The action follows increased public scrutiny after a fatal crash on 7 August along the Sylhet-Dhaka highway in Osmaninagar, where nine people died in a head-on collision involving a converted Bengal Paribahan bus.
Experts and authorities report that an estimated 800 to 1,000 double-decker sleeper buses are currently operating after being illegally modified from single-decker chassis in local workshops.
These vehicles frequently secure initial registration as standard single-decker buses before being fitted with heavier, unapproved upper structures.
Despite BRTA drives announcing the seizure of illegal coaches, enforcement remains slow, with only two vehicle registrations cancelled so far.
Transport figures, including Green Line Paribahan General Manager Mohammad Abdus Sattar, openly admitted that such operations lack legal authorisation.
Questions have also arisen over regulatory oversight; Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association Additional Secretary General ASM Ahmed Khokon questioned why the BRTA failed to identify these massive structural modifications during mandatory annual fitness inspections.
Meanwhile, regulatory authorities and the Highway Police continue to trade blame over monitoring responsibilities.
Addressing the media, the Bangladesh Sleeper AC Bus Owners’ Association clarified that it is not opposing safety regulations, but rather urging the government to establish an international-standard regulatory framework.
Association leaders emphasised that over Tk1,000 crore has been invested in the sector, supporting thousands of drivers, mechanics, and support staff.
The association demanded a halt to vehicle seizures, fines, and forced bans while relevant court cases remain pending, urging the BRTA to resolve route permits and fitness certificates through a coordinated safety plan.
A BUET committee has been reviewing the issue for six months, but until clear guidelines emerge, transport workers warn that sudden operational suspensions will cause severe financial ruin across the industry.
