Staff Reporter :
Despite government efforts to curb the practice, travelers departing Dhaka during Eid are facing a hefty “additional charge” totaling Tk 983.94 crore, according to the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS), a passenger rights organization.
The BJKS made this concerning revelation in a press statement issued on Sunday after monitoring fare practices and passenger services across various transportation sectors.
Their investigation identified several reasons behind the inflated fares, including rising commodity prices, increased extortion demands, and the transport operators’ pursuit of extra profits during the peak travel season.
The study also predicted that waterways will be the most popular mode of transportation for this Eid al-Fitr. An estimated 6 million passengers are expected to travel to various destinations within Bangladesh through major river ports like Dhaka’s Sadarghat and Narayanganj.
The report further revealed that the extra charges levied vary significantly, ranging from Tk 50 to Tk 800 per passenger depending on the category of service. Based on an average additional fare of Tk 200 per passenger, BJKS estimates that travelers departing Dhaka via waterways alone will be burdened with an extra Tk 120 crore before Eid.
The report estimates that 300,000 passengers embarking on long-distance journeys from Dhaka will be subjected to an average additional fare of Tk 300 each. This translates to a staggering Tk 90 crore (Tk 9 billion) in extra charges levied on bus passengers alone.
The festive season has also triggered a disproportionate rise in domestic airfare. Data from BJKS indicates that air operators are charging up to three times the regular fare, capitalizing on the surge in demand for air travel.
To combat this transportation anarchy, the BJKS proposes a series of measures such as smart Fare Collection System, implementing a digital fare collection system in public transport would eliminate cash transactions and potentially reduce opportunities for fare manipulation, a network of CCTV cameras on roads and highways, coupled with a robust prosecution system, could deter reckless driving and ensure adherence to traffic regulations and upholding proper law and order across the transportation sector for ensuring passenger safety and preventing exploitation.
The BJKS anticipates a significant increase in passenger volume during the Eid period. Their estimates suggest that around 10 million people will depart Dhaka for their hometowns, along with 4 million from Gazipur, 1.2 million from Narayanganj, and 800,000 from surrounding districts.
BJKS predicts that buses and minibuses will carry 3 million passengers,trains 4 million passengers, cars, jeeps, and microbuses 3.5 million passengers, motorcycles 1.2 million passengers, launches 6 million passengers,Airplanes 1 million passengers However, a shortage of public transportation options coupled with exorbitant fares may force an estimated 1.8 million passengers to resort to unsafe travel methods.
This includes traveling on rooftops of buses and trains, overloaded trucks, and freight vehicles.