A pressing public interest concern

What has happened is that bus and truck owners associations have drawn up new fare charts and put them up at various bus terminals without consulting the government agency concerned, namely, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). This is in absolute breach of law. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1983 clearly states that only the government has the authority to fix fares. It can, and we believe, should consult the owners, but that is that; owners cannot themselves raise the fares. But what we notice is the exact opposite, the owners are calling the shots. And, they are never punished for breaking the law which states that their registration and route permit can be cancelled if they have unilaterally raised fares.

As a result year after year, they have been arbitrarily increasing the fares and extracting these from the passengers with impunity. Government has rules to protect citizens' rights. However ridiculous it might sound, the last time fares were increased and put on the charts with governmental approval was in 1993. Needless to say, there have been many increases in bus fares since then without the stamp of government authorisation. In effect, they were illegal.

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In such circumstances, the prime minister has formed a high-powered committee to streamline the chaotic transport sector. We want this committee to succeed. We can see that it will take a lot of political will to bring about a positive change in the situation since ruling party elements are influential in the owners' associations. We believe the government will prove equal to the task and resolve the question of excessive fare increases keeping public interest uppermost in its mind.