Govt suspends toll hike on Buriganga Bridge for 15 days

FE Report | Published: July 26, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

The government suspended on Saturday  implementation of the planned toll hike on use of the Buriganga Bridge-1 for the next 15 days following a fruitful discussion between the agitated transport workers and concerned department officials.
Earlier transport workers and local people laid a siege to the Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge (First Buriganga Bridge) at about 9:00 am on the day demanding stoppage of collection of increased toll. This halted vehicular movement from the capital to different destinations in southern districts. Later, they withdrew the siege at about 2:00 pm.
Hundreds of vehicles (passenger buses, goods-laden trucks and private cars) were stranded at both sides of the bridge (Postogola and Keraniganj portions), according to police and local people.
The commuters, who were returning to the capital from their village homes after celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr, suffered most as they had to cross the bridge either by rickshaw vans or on foot to reach their respective destinations in the city.  
The Buriganga Bridge-1, which is widely known as 'Postogola Bridge', was built in 1988.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges decided to increase the toll on the bridge in January last. The ministry fixed July 24 for collecting increased toll.  
At present, buses, trucks and trailer trucks have to pay toll ranging from Tk 20 to Tk 40 for using the bridge for one time.
Rickshaw, van, motorcycle and CNG three-wheeler do not need to pay right now.  But the proposed toll hike has suggested inclusion of these transports under the purview of toll collection.  
Transport workers and local people formed a human chain on Friday demanding scrapping of the proposed toll hike.
Officials of the Road Transport and Highways Division, local leaders of the ruling party, law enforcing agencies and transport workers held a meeting on Saturday.
The meeting decided to suspend collection of increased toll (proposed) temporarily for 15 days, a police official who attended the meeting told the FE.
He said there will be another meeting between the roads and highways department and the transport workers within the next 15 days to resolve the issue.     
As per the proposed toll, a bus will have to pay Tk 40 instead of the existing Tk 30 for using the bridge for a single time, whereas a truck needs to pay Tk 275 against the present rate of Tk 30 and private car Tk 40 from the present rate of Tk 20. Similarly, motor cycle, rickshaw and CNG autos will have to pay toll from Tk 15 to Tk 25.
A transport leader, who is involved in the movement, told the FE that normally toll collection from a bridge could be stopped after ten years since its inception. He said other bridges on the river Buriganga stopped collecting toll since 2004.  
"I cross the bridge (Buriganga Bridge-1) several times daily by my motorcycle for my business purposes. If the authority realises increased toll from me, then how many times do I need to pay?" Md Azad, a resident of Postogola, asked while talking to the FE.   
He said local people living on both sides of the bridge will continue their movement if their demand is not met.
Vehicles, however, resumed plying on the bridge from around 2:00 pm on Saturday.  
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com