Staff Correspondent:

Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said authorities will take photos of passengers ahead of their Eid-ul-Azha bus trips as part of efforts to bolster security.

Speaking after a meeting with the transport owners and workers on Tuesday, he stressed that the safety of the travellers was the “top priority”, warning that criminals often “pose as passengers” to commit robberies.

“So a photo of each passenger will be taken before the last traveller boards and the bus door is locked,” he said.

Jahangir said instances of robbery have decreased compared with the past.

He added the bus staff will look out for suspicious behaviour among passengers and if they notice anything unusual, they will contact the owner, who will then inform law-enforcing agencies.

“This should give us some relief,” he said.

He also underscored the importance of drivers getting adequate rest between long-distance trips, saying: “Drivers should be given time to rest between journeys.”

In response to a question, he said that the bus operators themselves will take photographs of the passengers and supply them to law-enforcing agencies on request.

A committee will be formed to regularly monitor these measures, he added.

BNP Chairperson’s Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, who attended the meeting, said: “We are all working together to ensure smooth Eid journeys.”

He noted that more people typically leave Dhaka during Eid-ul-Azha than Eid-Ul-Fitr.