The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Secretary of the Ministry of Communication Dr Mahbubur Rahman on Wednesday warned the owners and workers of all modes of transports that the government would take severe legal actions if any excess fare is taken from passengers.

"The actions may include cancellation of the route permit of the transport," he cautioned at a meeting with the transport owners associations in the ministry.

Chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Sunil Kanti Bose, Executive Director of Dhaka Urban Transport Coordination Board Abu Bakar M Shajahan and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) Chairman Safiz Uddin Ahmed were present.

From the transport side, Secretary General of Bangladesh Road Transport Association M Ashraf Khan, President of Association of Bus Companies Khandakar Rafiqul Hossain Kajal,

Chairman of Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners Association GM Siraj and other concerned leaders attended the meeting.

Representatives from home, energy and mineral resources, establishment ministries and police department and Dhaka City Corporation were also present in the meeting.

The meeting discussed on the reports published in different newspapers and other media about taking excess fare from the passengers. Senior officials of the concerned ministries informed the meeting that the press reports were found true in their firsthand inspection.

Representatives of the transport owners claimed in the meeting that they are taking fare as per the government's instruction.

However, they admitted that excess fare might be charged in some routes.

They assured the government of extending their full cooperation to ensure the matter of taking precise fare from the passengers. They also agreed to take part in the drives of BRTA officials against excess fare.

The communications secretary sought support from owners, workers as well as passengers to implement the government decision on transport fare.

He asked the owners of bus and minibuses to maintain the rules of keeping preserve seats for women, children and disable persons in their transports.