Suckling babies to pay travel fare on metro rail!

Bangladesh's first metro rail service is expected to start operating from Uttara to Agargaon in Dhaka from December this year. The authorities have already fixed the fare at Tk 5 per kilometre, with a minimum fare of Tk 20. Students will receive a 50 per cent discount on showing their identity cards. Oddly enough, according to reports, the metro rail will charge fee even for children travelling on their mother's lap! This indicates that the ticket fixing committee has not considered the issue of babies travelling with their parents properly.. This is not only surprising but also shocking.

Parents with suckling infants on metro rail should not be charged for travelling because they do not occupy any seat. The metro rail authorities should immediately fix this problem and make journey free for such infants. Otherwise, it will put huge financial pressure on the middle- and low-income class families. Also, the minimum fare should be reduced from Tk 20 to Tk 10, considering our socio-economic situation.

MA Islam,

Dhanmondi, Dhaka