Staff Correspondent
Corruptions and irregularities in the transport sector have increased with realizing extra fares from passengers, snatching their goods, harassing them and making their lives unsafe.
Transport owners in the capital and other parts of the country are realizing extra fare from the passengers although price of diesel has been decreased by the government.
Everyday, passengers lock in altercation with bus supervisors following realisation of high fares while bus supervisors assign reason that transport owners have not reduced the fares.
Taking to The Bangladesh Today, Fahmida, a resident of Mohammadpur, said “Although the government reduced the price of fuel but it has taken no step to pressurize bus and other transport owners to reduce their fare. In our country transport owners will not reduce their fare automatically unless enforced by the government.” Transport sector is being controlled by a syndicate which has become more active under this elected government because some MPs and leaders of the ruling party are involved in it, she said.
Many buses, private cars, micros, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and taxicabs plying in the capital and other cities do not have original registration and most of those are being used for the purposes of committing various types of criminal offences including hijacking, snatching and murdering.
Wishing anonymity, a taxicab driver in the capital alleged that owners of many private cars, taxicab and CNG auto rickshaws are using false registration number in association with corrupt officials of the BRTA.
He said “Specially, after 10 pm those vehicles are seen in the capital and as a driver I can understand their suspicious movement. These offences are being committed in connivance with a section of unscrupulous BRTA and police officials.”
A driver of four-wheeler Laguna service said they are plying these small vehicles from Farmgate to Dhanmondi without any road permit by giving bribe to the police and transport association leaders.
“We have to pay everyday Tk 400 per vehicle to the office of transport association at Farmgate and the association leaders deal with police. In another kind of deal, three vehicles of my owner have been requisitioned by Tejgaon PS, Dhanmondi PS and Dhanmondi police camp in exchange for permitting his other vehicles to run in this route,” he added.
About this an official of BRTA head office at Tejgaon said not only Laguna but also recently imported battery run three wheelers are plying in the capital and other places in connivance with police although BRTA has not given those approval.
A bus driver at Farmgate alleged that BRTA offices have been infested by brokers and its dishonest officials who are engaged in dishonest business of issuing registration, tax token and blue book of the vehicles and driving licence in exchange for bribe.
“As per rule, a driver is required to qualify test to get driving licence. But BRTA does not qualify a driver and does not issue licence if not bribed. Legal fee of getting our licence includes deposition of Tk 1,375 to bank and Tk 125 for other papers but in reality we have to pay 7/8 thousands to BRTA officials and brokers.”
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
