Fees for 75 BRTA services go up

Staff Reporter :
The government has increased fees for most of the services provided by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), putting additional burden on private and commercial vehicles owners.
Currently, BTRA has been providing 87 services and fees for 75 services, like registering vehicles and issuance of fitness certificate, route permit, and driving licence, has gone up to 233 per cent following the government move.
BRTA has started collecting fees at new rates from vehicle owners and drivers from Sunday.
Sheikh Mohammad Mamub-E-Rabbani, spokesperson and director of BRTA, confirmed the development to the media yesterday.
Apart from the 75 services, BRTA levied charges for nine new services, like registration of motor workshops, licence for conductors, and reviews of points on driving licences.
The government issued the rules for Road Transport Act-2018, for which a gazette was published on December 27. The new rate of fees came into effect following the issuance of the gazette.
The new rate of fees has been imposed on 32 BRTA services with 13-50 per cent hike. Besides, cost of 32 other services have gone by 101-233 per cent.
However, charges for three BRTA services, including registration of two types of motorcycles, remained the same.
BRTA also started to collect a certain amount from vehicle owners for a to-be-made government fund for road accident victims.
According to the rules the rules for Road Transport Act-2018, the owner of a bus, truck, lorry, and articulated lorry will pay Tk 1,500 a year to the fund. The amount will be Tk 750 for a minibus, minitruck, and pickup; Tk 500 for a car, SUV and microbus; and Tk 300 for a three-wheeler.
A motorcycle owner will pay a one-time Tk 1,000.
Registration of a three-wheeler, up to 100cc, will be Tk 1,000, from the current Tk 635. All three-wheelers above 100cc will require a flat Tk 1,800 registration fee instead of Tk 1,150.
Fees for registration of bikes of up to 100cc remain at Tk 2,000, bikes above 100cc still at Tk 3,000, and special vehicles for people with disabilities have been kept at Tk 25.
Driving schools will have to pay Tk 23,000 for a licence instead of Tk 15,000, while instructor’s licence will be Tk 2,000 instead of Tk 750.
BTRA last hiked fees in 2014 but halved motorcycle registration fees in early 2021.