Alleging that extra fares are being collected from passengers on various highways and waterways during the Eid journey, Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association has demanded that the government take steps for intensifying mobile court drives.
Association’s general secretary Mozammel Haque Chowdhury also urged the government to take steps to stop the transport owners from overcharging the passengers. The law enforcement agencies made efforts to ease traffic congestion ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, but ‘anarchy’ of collecting extra fares on various routes was going on, he added.
Since yesterday [Monday], an additional fare of Tk 300-Tk 500 was being collected depending on the distance on various routes from Dhaka to North and South Bengal. “This extra fare was being collected more since Tuesday morning, especially from the passengers of Chattogram to Bhola, Lakshipur, Noakhali and North Bengal-bound passengers,” he said in a statement.
“Passengers from Dhaka to Feni have to pay Chattogram’s fare, Dhaka to Satkania or Amirabad passengers have to pay Cox's Bazar fare. Similarly, the passengers from Dhaka to Bogura have to pay Jashore fare or Satkhira fare,” he added.
Short distance passengers have to pay long distance fares. “Even during journey by launches, extra fare is being charged. But no administrative action against the anarchists is seen,” he alleged.
The association said that in digital Bangladesh, passengers are still being harassed due to the problem of Eid management including mismanagement of tickets, black market of tickets, unplanned vehicle management.
To prevent anarchy, vigilance teams or monitoring committees are formed every year on Eid in traditional manner by BRTA and BIWTA, but in fact, their existence is not found anywhere, he added.
