Despite formulation a draft law one year ago, a special purpose company (SPC) on integrated tickets for all public transports is yet to be formed to facilitate overall management of the Rapid Pass.
As the first integrated circuit (IC) cards for using in all the city transports, the Rapid Pass has now been operating in the under-operation metro rail in the city since December 2022 though it was introduced in 2018 after formal inauguration.
Officials said the draft of the law named Integrated Ticket Management Company Act was formulated in September, 2023 as management of the card is a huge task for management of tickets of all transports.
They said the law will provide guidelines for all users of transports including buses, trains and launches to maintain uniformity in issuing, operating, managing, marketing and sharing earnings.
The Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) which is now working as clearinghouse for managing all types of ticket sales and their associated data drafted the law.
The clearinghouse of the IC cards keeps all records of Rapid Pass and MRT Pass which are now only under use in the Mass Rapid Transit Line 6 (MRT 6) successfully.
As the stored value card and smart card, the Rapid Pass was first introduced in the buses of the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC), Dhakar Chakka and Hatirjheel Chakrakar buses in different times.
But none of those could be continued due to lack of necessary infrastructural facilities and proper management.
The officials said the SPC is supposed to work as an independent organisation to develop and operate the clearinghouse and card issuance business step by step to all kinds of urban transport.
As the DTCA has plans to introduce the card again in the city's different bus routes under nine clusters being planned under the bus route rationalisation, the enactment of the law is now urgent.
However, the efforts to introduce the SPC have been delayed not only for the change of the government but also non- cooperation and lack of understanding from different quarters including the ministries concerned.
The new law will offer comprehensive guidance for all users as well as operators.
The officials said all public transport operators, including Bangladesh Railway, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, will be required to sign agreements with the company in order to use the cards.
The clearinghouse maintains a daily record of sales and uses of IC cards. This information is then shared with clearinghouse banks to facilitate the transfer of the actual revenue amount to the accounts of the respective operators.
A senior official also said it has been planned to cater the Rapid Pass for all purpose cards including payment of various types of bills and use as credit cards.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has assisted the DTCA with technical and financial support under the Clearing House Project -Phase 2 which tenure, however, ended without completing the entire task.
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