Corruption at BRTA office needs to be held in check
IT is not unknown that government offices are safe haven for systematic corruption and where it is for rendering service to people the severity of harassment is all the more at work including extortion of money in different names. Media report on Wednesday said transport owners pay at least Tk 60 lakhs per month in bribes to people who operate in and around the Mirpur Office of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) in the name of helping them to get services like collection of new digitalized retro-reflective number plate and such others. They collect at least Tk 1000 from bus and truck owners and smaller vehicles without any payment slip. Over 200 such number plates are issued per day sending the amount of bribe in a day in some estimates to over Tk 2 lakhs.
Moreover dozens of known extortionists gather around the BRTA Office from early morning to lure service seekers to pay at least Tk 100 and in some cases up to Tk 500 to park their vehicles in the front lines for fitness inspection. Total monthly collection thus reach to Tk 70 lakhs or even more.
It is totally illegal and a big crime that is taking place almost openly as a matter of business as usual. As per news report it is going on defying the presence of the members of law enforcement agencies in and around the office and the situation suggests they are direct complicit to such illegal practices. The BRTA has also a second office in Dhaka South for fitness certification and issuing new number plates. There is no doubt what is happening at Mirpur office is also happening at Dhaka South Office.
The chaos in city transport sector is in breaking point. Since party leaders and workers are involved and party loyalists inside BRTA Office are sheltering the illegal practice to make fortune, the government lacks the courage to break the network.
Only last week it failed to stop plying of illegal bus service in city streets using signs like ‘seating service’ and ‘gate lock’ service realizing extra fare from commuters while they run like other buses. Communication Minister and AL General Secretary Obaidul Qadir said influential people were defying the government order as they retaliated withdrawing most of their buses from city streets creating a sudden transport crisis. A total chaos reigned city streets for two days until the government was forced to suspend the drive. It appears that there are small and big syndicates at all level operating in the transport sector taking the people hostage.
It is evident that sheltering petty politics is destroying almost all public establishments and social life and in our view the government must show its commitment before too late as corruption and mismanagement is about to grip the entire nation.
Moreover dozens of known extortionists gather around the BRTA Office from early morning to lure service seekers to pay at least Tk 100 and in some cases up to Tk 500 to park their vehicles in the front lines for fitness inspection. Total monthly collection thus reach to Tk 70 lakhs or even more.
It is totally illegal and a big crime that is taking place almost openly as a matter of business as usual. As per news report it is going on defying the presence of the members of law enforcement agencies in and around the office and the situation suggests they are direct complicit to such illegal practices. The BRTA has also a second office in Dhaka South for fitness certification and issuing new number plates. There is no doubt what is happening at Mirpur office is also happening at Dhaka South Office.
The chaos in city transport sector is in breaking point. Since party leaders and workers are involved and party loyalists inside BRTA Office are sheltering the illegal practice to make fortune, the government lacks the courage to break the network.
Only last week it failed to stop plying of illegal bus service in city streets using signs like ‘seating service’ and ‘gate lock’ service realizing extra fare from commuters while they run like other buses. Communication Minister and AL General Secretary Obaidul Qadir said influential people were defying the government order as they retaliated withdrawing most of their buses from city streets creating a sudden transport crisis. A total chaos reigned city streets for two days until the government was forced to suspend the drive. It appears that there are small and big syndicates at all level operating in the transport sector taking the people hostage.
It is evident that sheltering petty politics is destroying almost all public establishments and social life and in our view the government must show its commitment before too late as corruption and mismanagement is about to grip the entire nation.
