Staff Reporter :
Auto-rickshaw is one of the most essential means of transport in the city life. It is hardly possible for the city residents to go to their destinations without hiring auto-rickshaws, as the number of buses is small considering the population. But the drivers do not abide by the meter chart directed by the government and as a result passengers bear extra burden of payment.
Fatema Jerin, a teacher of Government Titumir
College at Mohakhali, after waiting for about one hour at Zigatola bus stand for going to her office, she under duress hired a auto-rickshaw for Tk 300, which would have been Tk 150 had the driver used his meter. The teacher had no second option for the sake of her job.
This is a very common scenario in the capital. Fatema Jerin is not alone, but one among thousands. She said, several times I faced similar problems
Most auto-rickshaws drivers are still making trips on contract basis despite the government fixed auto-rickshaw fares per km with effect from November 1, 2015. As neither the BRTA supervises the use of meter, nor police takes action when a passenger draws his attention against the driver’s high handedness. Sometimes, many passengers also travel voluntarily to save time.
Passengers in the capital still complain of three-wheeler drivers overcharging them even after the government-fixed rate. “For lack of probing eyes, unyielding drivers force us to pay almost double of the actual fare.”
A number of passengers claim, auto-rickshaw drivers most often overcharge and refuse to go to their destinations on meter.
Kazi Mustafiz, who was trying to hire a CNG-run auto at Purana Paltan on Saturday noon, told The New Nation, “I beckoned with hand about 12 baby-taxies to go to Gabtoli bus terminal, but none agreed. At last a driver agreed to go on meter, subject to payment of an extra amount of Tk 50.
Mohin Abbas, said to this correspondent on Saturday, ‘I was trying to get an auto-rickshaw to go to Uttara from my residence at Dhanmondi, a driver demanded Tk 300 as fare. “I asked him to go on meter but he refused. Other auto-rickshaw drivers also did the same. The actual fare would not have been more than Tk 100 to Tk 110 even with the usual traffic congestions on the road.
Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, Secretary General of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS) has alleged that BRTA’s drive against auto-rickshaw drivers, who do not use meters, is not visible. According to BJKS members, the auto-rickshaw drivers hardly care about making trips following the fare meter.
However, Miraj Hossain, a driver, claimed, “We have been forced to take fare from passengers without meters because CNG auto-rickshaw owners are taking extra money for hefty deposits than the rate fixed by the government.” The daily deposit is Tk 900 from 6 am to 5 pm, but some dishonest owners are overcharging drivers. If any driver wishes to run the auto all day long, then we have to pay Tk 1400 to the vehicle owners. So what can we do? He asked.
Yet, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) officials said, they take action against drivers who do not use meters when charging passengers.
BRTA secretary Showkat Ali said to The New Nation on Thursday, punitive measures will be taken against the drivers immediately if any passenger complains to the mobile court or traffic police in this regard. It is mandatory for the auto drivers to travel to any destination on a meter-basis, he added.
BRTA source said, for auto-rickshaws, commuters now have to pay Tk 40 for the first two km and then Tk 12 for next each km. Waiting charge is Tk 2 per minute. Previously, the rate was Tk 25 for the first two kilometers and Tk 7.64 for next each km. Waiting charge was Tk 1.40 per minute. The drivers have to pay Tk 900 on daily basis to the owners as deposit money whereas the rate was Tk 600. According to BRTA, there are more than 12,320 CNG-run auto-rickshaws in the Dhaka city area.
Auto-rickshaw is one of the most essential means of transport in the city life. It is hardly possible for the city residents to go to their destinations without hiring auto-rickshaws, as the number of buses is small considering the population. But the drivers do not abide by the meter chart directed by the government and as a result passengers bear extra burden of payment.
Fatema Jerin, a teacher of Government Titumir
College at Mohakhali, after waiting for about one hour at Zigatola bus stand for going to her office, she under duress hired a auto-rickshaw for Tk 300, which would have been Tk 150 had the driver used his meter. The teacher had no second option for the sake of her job.
This is a very common scenario in the capital. Fatema Jerin is not alone, but one among thousands. She said, several times I faced similar problems
Most auto-rickshaws drivers are still making trips on contract basis despite the government fixed auto-rickshaw fares per km with effect from November 1, 2015. As neither the BRTA supervises the use of meter, nor police takes action when a passenger draws his attention against the driver’s high handedness. Sometimes, many passengers also travel voluntarily to save time.
Passengers in the capital still complain of three-wheeler drivers overcharging them even after the government-fixed rate. “For lack of probing eyes, unyielding drivers force us to pay almost double of the actual fare.”
A number of passengers claim, auto-rickshaw drivers most often overcharge and refuse to go to their destinations on meter.
Kazi Mustafiz, who was trying to hire a CNG-run auto at Purana Paltan on Saturday noon, told The New Nation, “I beckoned with hand about 12 baby-taxies to go to Gabtoli bus terminal, but none agreed. At last a driver agreed to go on meter, subject to payment of an extra amount of Tk 50.
Mohin Abbas, said to this correspondent on Saturday, ‘I was trying to get an auto-rickshaw to go to Uttara from my residence at Dhanmondi, a driver demanded Tk 300 as fare. “I asked him to go on meter but he refused. Other auto-rickshaw drivers also did the same. The actual fare would not have been more than Tk 100 to Tk 110 even with the usual traffic congestions on the road.
Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, Secretary General of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS) has alleged that BRTA’s drive against auto-rickshaw drivers, who do not use meters, is not visible. According to BJKS members, the auto-rickshaw drivers hardly care about making trips following the fare meter.
However, Miraj Hossain, a driver, claimed, “We have been forced to take fare from passengers without meters because CNG auto-rickshaw owners are taking extra money for hefty deposits than the rate fixed by the government.” The daily deposit is Tk 900 from 6 am to 5 pm, but some dishonest owners are overcharging drivers. If any driver wishes to run the auto all day long, then we have to pay Tk 1400 to the vehicle owners. So what can we do? He asked.
Yet, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) officials said, they take action against drivers who do not use meters when charging passengers.
BRTA secretary Showkat Ali said to The New Nation on Thursday, punitive measures will be taken against the drivers immediately if any passenger complains to the mobile court or traffic police in this regard. It is mandatory for the auto drivers to travel to any destination on a meter-basis, he added.
BRTA source said, for auto-rickshaws, commuters now have to pay Tk 40 for the first two km and then Tk 12 for next each km. Waiting charge is Tk 2 per minute. Previously, the rate was Tk 25 for the first two kilometers and Tk 7.64 for next each km. Waiting charge was Tk 1.40 per minute. The drivers have to pay Tk 900 on daily basis to the owners as deposit money whereas the rate was Tk 600. According to BRTA, there are more than 12,320 CNG-run auto-rickshaws in the Dhaka city area.
