Members of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) Queensland and the wider community gathered on Tuesday, 28 October 2025, at Manmeet’s Paradise in Moorooka to honour Indian-origin bus driver Manmeet Sharma ‘Alisher,’ nine years after he was killed in a horrific attack while at work.
RTBU Queensland said the gathering this week is not only to remember a beloved colleague and friend, but also a reminder of the ongoing need to protect drivers.
“This isn’t just about looking back, it’s about keeping our promise — that we’ll never stop fighting for bus driver safety, and that Manmeet’s legacy will never fade,” the union said in a statement on Facebook.
Alisher, 29, a proud RTBU member and respected figure in Brisbane’s Punjabi community, died in 2016 after a man allegedly threw an incendiary device at him as he stopped to collect passengers in Moorooka.
It was reported Manmeet suffered fatal burns in an attack that also left 14 others — including three children — trapped inside the bus until passers-by managed to force open the rear doors.
The tragedy triggered an outpouring of grief across Australia, with candlelight vigils and memorial services held in multiple cities.
Manmeet was a singer, actor and poet who performed widely at community events.
In a separate tribute, the union described Manmeet as “a proud bus driver, talented artist, and beloved son, brother, and friend,” adding that his kindness and passion for community “touched everyone who knew him”.
A coronial inquest previously heard that the attacker, Anthony O’Donohue, had been discharged from mental health care just two months before the killing, despite long-standing delusions and homicidal ideations. He was later deemed unfit to stand trial and was sentenced to minimum 10 years of treatment in the high-security section of a mental health facility.
The annual remembrance, the union says, ensures that Manmeet’s story continues to drive change so that every bus driver can feel safe behind the wheel.
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