Overworked, underpaid: Bangladesh bus drivers say accidents not entirely their fault

"We are working to bring discipline in the streets," said Khondaker Enayet Ullah, secretary general of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association.

"It's true that shortage of drivers often compels us to hire unskilled drivers. But we are asking the transport owners not to appoint anyone without proper licenses from now on."

About 4,000 people were killed in driving deaths in Bangladesh in 2017 and 2,350 in the first seven months of this year, according to data compiled by the Accident Research Institute at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

Many protesters have demanded the government tighten transport regulations, including by setting limits on the hours worked by drivers and providing a minimum monthly salary.

But Abul Qasem, who owns the Tusher Transport Company in Dhaka that has 10 buses, said implementing those suggestions would mean higher fares that customers in the price-sensitive country would not readily agree to.

"If the government asks us to fix eight hours duty a day, we will follow it. In that case, fares will increase because then there will be at least two shifts a day," said Qasem. "That will anger passengers. Will the government then subsidise us?"

The drivers say they also want the government to install more traffic lights and build dedicated lanes for pedestrians, instead of putting all the blame on drivers.

"Everybody has a guardian to take care of their interests but we don't," said bus driver Alam.