The government will cancel route permits and impose penalties on transport operators who charge fares above the approved rates during the upcoming Eid travel rush, Road Transport, Railways, Shipping and Bridges Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam warned today (5 March).
“We will be strict about excessive fares. If anyone charges more than the fixed rate, fines will be imposed and licences may be cancelled,” he said while briefing reporters after a preparatory meeting on Eid travel at the Secretariat in Dhaka.
The meeting, held at the conference room of the Road Transport and Highways Division, brought together officials from road, rail and water transport authorities, transport owners and workers’ associations, and law enforcement agencies to discuss preparations for smooth Eid travel.
Robiul Alam said the government would not allow any unethical practices surrounding Eid travel. However, he noted that if registered transport owners’ or workers’ associations collect money legally for their welfare funds, it should not automatically be labelled as extortion.
“If an association is registered and collects funds legally for the welfare of its members, that cannot be called extortion,” he said.
Responding to a question from journalists on whether such comments effectively legitimise extortion, the minister clarified that any organisation without legal status that collects money arbitrarily from owners or workers would be considered extortion.
“If specific complaints are raised, immediate action will be taken and strict measures will be taken against those responsible,” he added.
Earlier, in his first press conference after assuming office on February 19, Robiul Alam had said that what is often referred to as “toll collection” in the transport sector should not necessarily be seen as extortion.
“There are owners’ and workers’ associations, and they spend these funds for their welfare. It has become an unwritten practice. I would call it extortion only when someone is forced to pay against their will,” he said at the time.
However, the Road Transport Act does not contain any provision allowing transport owners’ or workers’ organisations to collect tolls. In the past, governments led by both the BNP and Awami League attempted to legalise such collections in the name of these associations, but the initiatives were abandoned amid criticism.
Currently, if associations need funds to operate, they are expected to collect subscriptions monthly or annually through receipts. In practice, however, allegations persist that money is collected daily from every vehicle operating on the roads. In many cases, a single vehicle has to pay at multiple points, raising transport costs and ultimately increasing passenger and freight fares.
Eid travel challenge
The meeting focused on ensuring safe and comfortable travel for millions of people expected to leave the capital ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Robiul Alam said nearly 15 million people may leave Dhaka within two to three days before the holiday, posing a significant logistical challenge.
“However, all relevant agencies will remain more active than ever before, and with coordinated preparations we hope to ensure a smooth Eid journey,” he said.
No extra fare allowed
Asked about the frequent doubling of fares on air-conditioned (AC) buses during Eid, the minister said no operator would be allowed to charge more than the approved rate.
“If even one taka more than the approved fare is charged; action will be taken against the transport operator. If necessary, the route permit will be cancelled,” he said.
He added that law enforcement agencies, highway police and mobile courts would intensify monitoring on highways during the Eid travel period.
Officials from the Road Transport Ministry, however, said fares for AC buses are not set by the government. Taking advantage of this, operators often charge higher fares during peak travel seasons such as Eid.
Measures for smoother travel
The minister also outlined several steps to ease congestion and ensure safer highways during the Eid rush.
Temporary roadside shops, illegal parking and battery-run vehicles will be controlled on highways. Unfit or broken-down vehicles will not be allowed on the roads, he said.
Authorities have also been instructed to quickly complete ongoing road repairs to keep highways operational. In addition, garment factories will be asked to grant Eid holidays in phases to prevent a sudden surge of travellers at the same time.
The government has also directed the state-run bus operator to keep additional buses ready to accommodate excess passengers if needed.
Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, a BNP leader and president of the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation, said the federation would hold regular meetings to help ensure smooth Eid travel.
State Minister for Road Transport and Railways Habibur Rashid, State Minister for Shipping and Bridges Rajib Ahsan, secretaries of different ministries and other senior officials were also present at the press conference.
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