“Tk 182cr collected per day in extra fares from Dhaka’s public transport passengers”

Jatri Kalyan Samity today (September 13, 2022) alleged that passengers of public transport in Dhaka are paying an overall Tk 182.42 crore in extra fares every day.

This "extra charge" is collected from customers from an average of 3.5 crore rides operated each day, it said.

A 10-member delegation of Jatri Kalyan Samity's sub-committee conducted a survey on bus fare monitoring in the capital from August 20 to September 3, said Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, secretary general of the organisation.

He was speaking at a discussion titled "We want effective steps to end the anarchy of overcharging" held at Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, according to a press release. 

Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity organised the programme on the occasion of the Jatri Adhikar Dibosh (Passenger Rights Day).

Mozammel also said after increasing the price of fuel twice in the last one year, the public transport fare was increased at an unusual rate.

As such incidents are on the rise, a 10-member delegation of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity's Sub-Committee on Monitoring observed the case of "overcharging fares" in various public transports in the capital from August 20 to September 3.

They learned that the daily deposit to owners, high fuel prices, extortion on roads, repair costs of vehicles and increase in the price of goods is the reason behind rising fare rates. This information was collected by talking to drivers, assistants and rent collectors of different vehicles during the observation.