Duty waiver likely for taxicabs to be operated in 3 more cities
Saturday, 29 August 2009
The government is considering extension of duty-waiver facility to Khulna, Rajshahi and Barisal metropolitan cities, like Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet, for the import of taxicabs under a plan for expanding this civic transport service in a wider range, reports UNB.
Aiming to give a facelift to the low-gear taxi service in the capital, the government is thinking about upgrading and expanding it. Under the plan, taxicabs are likely to be allowed to run up to Narayanganj, Aricha and Mawa Ghat from the city.
An inter-ministerial meeting held recently in the conference room of the communications ministry took the decisions. Roads and Railways Division Secretary ASM Ali Kabir chaired the meeting.
Among others, Bangladesh Association of Taxicab Operators (BATCO) secretary general Ejaj Mahmud, Director (Engineering) of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) M Rafiqul Islam, Cab Association of Bangladesh president GM Siraj, Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) executive director Abu Bakar M Shahjahan, DTCB additional executive director SM Saleh Uddin, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) Mafiz Uddin Ahmed, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs joint secretary (Drafting) Syed Ahmed and BRTA Chairman M Ehsanul Huq attended the meeting.
The meeting also discussed the formulation of the Taxicab Service Policy (Amendment) 2008, as complaints are rife about the unguarded and erratic conduct of the newer mode of transport.
In the current fiscal the government attached conditions of minimum 1500 cc engine capacity and import of at least 10 vehicles in one consignment by any company to enable importation of durable and standard vehicles to be used as taxicab.
The finance minister in the maiden budget of the new government waived all customs duty in excess of 20 per cent and all supplementary duty and regulatory duty for taxicabs to fulfil the set conditions.
ASM Ali Kabir in the meeting said that it was logical to have the same facility for the other metropolitan cities as of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.
He also said, "It is necessary to permit taxicabs to ply up to Narayanganj and Mawa."
He also mentioned that there would be a separate wing in the ministry concerned. "An initiative has been taken to create the transport division in the communications ministry," he said.
At the meeting, Ejaj Mahmud expressed his opinion for formulation of a monitoring cell comprising BRTA, police and representatives from taxicab companies to stop passenger harassment, mugging and other taxicab-related offences.
He said the taxicab drivers had to take the responsibility for offences that were done for their lapses.
Ejaj stressed introducing monthly-paid drivers for the taxicabs or re-fixing the government-fixed rent for taxicabs usually paid by the drivers to the cab owners.
Aiming to give a facelift to the low-gear taxi service in the capital, the government is thinking about upgrading and expanding it. Under the plan, taxicabs are likely to be allowed to run up to Narayanganj, Aricha and Mawa Ghat from the city.
An inter-ministerial meeting held recently in the conference room of the communications ministry took the decisions. Roads and Railways Division Secretary ASM Ali Kabir chaired the meeting.
Among others, Bangladesh Association of Taxicab Operators (BATCO) secretary general Ejaj Mahmud, Director (Engineering) of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) M Rafiqul Islam, Cab Association of Bangladesh president GM Siraj, Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) executive director Abu Bakar M Shahjahan, DTCB additional executive director SM Saleh Uddin, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) Mafiz Uddin Ahmed, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs joint secretary (Drafting) Syed Ahmed and BRTA Chairman M Ehsanul Huq attended the meeting.
The meeting also discussed the formulation of the Taxicab Service Policy (Amendment) 2008, as complaints are rife about the unguarded and erratic conduct of the newer mode of transport.
In the current fiscal the government attached conditions of minimum 1500 cc engine capacity and import of at least 10 vehicles in one consignment by any company to enable importation of durable and standard vehicles to be used as taxicab.
The finance minister in the maiden budget of the new government waived all customs duty in excess of 20 per cent and all supplementary duty and regulatory duty for taxicabs to fulfil the set conditions.
ASM Ali Kabir in the meeting said that it was logical to have the same facility for the other metropolitan cities as of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.
He also said, "It is necessary to permit taxicabs to ply up to Narayanganj and Mawa."
He also mentioned that there would be a separate wing in the ministry concerned. "An initiative has been taken to create the transport division in the communications ministry," he said.
At the meeting, Ejaj Mahmud expressed his opinion for formulation of a monitoring cell comprising BRTA, police and representatives from taxicab companies to stop passenger harassment, mugging and other taxicab-related offences.
He said the taxicab drivers had to take the responsibility for offences that were done for their lapses.
Ejaj stressed introducing monthly-paid drivers for the taxicabs or re-fixing the government-fixed rent for taxicabs usually paid by the drivers to the cab owners.