BANGLADESH

Stickers should be affixed on CNG powered buses

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has directed to affix stickers on CNG-powered buses. A letter has already been sent to the Transport Owners Association in this regard. BRTA will confirm whether the sticker has been affixed on the bus. Apart from this, BRTA will launch a joint operation with the representatives of employers ‘and workers’ organizations against those who collect extra fare on buses and minibuses from Thursday.

Last Sunday, the government increased the fares of only diesel-powered buses and minibuses across the country, including Dhaka. The government has said that the increased fare is not applicable for CNG-powered buses. But the number of these gas-powered buses, which way they run or which way to identify them is not given. The BRTA did not specify the actual number of CNG-powered buses or the routes they use. As a result, increased fares are being levied on gas-powered buses in the capital Dhaka and on long-distance routes. A letter was sent to the Transport Owners Association on Monday to affix stickers to mark CNG-powered buses for the convenience of passengers.

Nur Mohammad Majumder, chairman of the BRTA, held a meeting at the BRTA head office on Tuesday afternoon in response to allegations that the government was not paying the required rent in different places. Representatives of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Highway Police, Dhaka District Administration and Transport Owners-Workers were present there. At the meeting, it was decided to start a joint campaign with the owners and workers’ representatives to stop the collection of extra rent from Thursday. Besides, it was decided to intensify the mobile court operation with the help of metropolitan police and magistrates of Dhaka district administration if necessary.

In this regard, BRTA Chairman Noor Mohammad Majumder told Prothom Alo that the regular mobile court of BRTA will be conducted every day. The joint operation with the transport owners and workers will start on Thursday. He said that they had made it clear in yesterday’s meeting that not a single penny of extra rent could be collected. He further added that they were receiving some complaints of extra rent. In addition, it is difficult for passengers to identify CNG-powered buses. For this reason, it has been instructed to affix stickers. If no one affixes the sticker, the mobile court and the police will take action. If necessary, action will be taken on the information of CNG-powered vehicles in the BRTA office.

After the meeting with BRTA, Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association and Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association, the apex organizations of the owners of the sector, instructed the transport owners not to collect extra fare on buses. On Tuesday, the Antzela bus terminal in the capital, various bus stands inside Dhaka and the people in charge of the company were warned to take legal action if they collect extra fare.

Secretary General of Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association and General Secretary of Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association Khandaker Enayet Ullah signed the letter. The letter said diesel-powered bus fares have increased across the country, including the capital Dhaka. No CNG-powered bus fare has been increased. As a result, CNG-powered buses cannot be increased in any way. But in some places news of extra rent is coming. Which is against the rules and punishable by law. To avoid this situation and to ensure the collection of the fare fixed by the government, transport owners have been instructed to monitor the road as needed.

Khandaker Enayet Ullah told Prothom Alo last night that a meeting of transport owners has been called this morning and there will be labor leaders as well. There will be instructions not to collect more than the rent fixed by the government.

Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader has been urging the owners and workers to pay the fixed rate since the fare was fixed on Sunday. But not much is being done about it. On Tuesday, the minister reiterated his call on transport owners-labor leaders to refrain from charging extra fares and harassing passengers. He said strict legal action would be taken against otherwise responsible transport.

The minister made the call at a briefing at his office in the Secretariat in the wake of allegations of overcharging. He said the BRTA has been conducting mobile courts in different parts of the Dhaka metropolis since yesterday against the collection of extra rent. Field level instructions have been issued to conduct mobile courts to take action against the collection of extra rent across the country. He called upon all concerned including divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, highway police and district police to play an effective role in this regard.

Despite the call of the minister, the collection of additional rent has continued. In Dhaka, the minimum fare for minibuses has been fixed at Tk 8 and for big buses at Tk 10, but in reality it is being charged at Tk 15 to 20. Diesel fare is being collected on all long distance buses. However, Dhaka-Narsingdi, Dhaka-Manikganj, Dhaka-Mawa, Dhaka-Brahmanbaria, Dhaka-Comilla and many other short distance routes run CNG-powered buses, said BRTA sources. The rent of diesel powered buses is being collected in these.

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