Brawl over bus fare hike

Discipline is none of the Bangalees' virtues. Rather, they, in general, revel in defying discipline. People in power have their hubris and cannot be blamed if they take this special trait to new extremes. However, they usually like that others go by the rules. But politics has a different gauge to judge things with an eye on the possible dividends. Indiscipline is deliberately perpetrated and perpetuated.
A look at the latest rise in compressed natural gas CNG-run bus and auto-rickshaw fare makes the point vividly clear. The country's already chaotic transport sector has become still more chaotic with the latest increase in fare. The authorities have announced the hike following the increase in price of CNG from Tk 30 to Tk 35 for a cubic metre. To follow it up, they have raised the fare from Tk 1.60 to Tk 1.70 for a kilometre for large buses and from Tk 1.50 to Tk 1.60 for their mini versions. In both cases, the increase is Tk 0.10 for a kilometre.
Now there has been a free for all for the transport operators. They have been charging fares inconsistent with the government announced rate. Where there was minimum fare -Tk 5.0 or 7.0 -for the two types of buses, the increase has been double for one and Tk 3.0 for the other type. Where the fare was Tk 10, it has been made Tk 15 and Tk 15 has been raised to Tk 20 and Tk 20 to Tk 25 and so on and so forth. A few bus operators have gone for a double raise from Tk 15 to Tk 30 on the plea that after certain point-which is often half or less the distance -the full fare is due.
Now all such anomalies could happen only because the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) itself has not prepared fare charts. A few buses and minibuses keep with them a chart prepared by their operators. No wonder minibuses charge fare meant for large buses. Now the issue of distance is ignored by operators. There are differences between distances on several routes. The BRTA could make it mandatory to keep a chart prepared by it and duly signed by the officer in charge. Besides, several new routes have been opened and no one is sure about the distance in between a number of bus stops.
If the BRTA were serious -and perhaps sincere in avoiding the chaos and controversy, it should have prepared authentic charts on all bus routes within the cities and outsides. It did none of it. Rather it seems it is enjoying the show of brawls and altercations that have now become routine between transport operators and passengers or commuters.
Imposition of fine by mobile courts for charging extra fare is more an eye-wash than a step in the right direction. Rather, introduction of fare charts detailing point to point fares would be effective. If it is made mandatory to exhibit by all buses such charts and instructed to go by them, the problem can easily be solved.
What happens in such cases is that these mobile court drives continue for sometime and then all resign to the extra regime of fare. It happened in the past and it will be no different this time. Instances of realisation of arbitrary fares can be cited on all routes. When the buses used to charge Tk 20 for a 10-kilometre route, they are now demanding Tk 25-30. In reality, the rate was Tk 2.0 for a kilometre and now it is Tk 2.50 or Tk 3.0. The authorities must share the blame for not doing the job well and logically.