Home-goers to pay Tk 110b extra fares during Eid: Survey

Transport operators have engaged themselves in a race to cash in on the mad-rush of home-goers, who are forced to pay Tk 110 billion in the form of additional fares to avail bus, launch, rails and other modes of transportations during the Eid-ul-Fitr festival, according to a survey of a passengers' platform revealed on Tuesday.
Bangladesh Jatri Kollyan Samity (BJKS), an association of passengers' welfare, made the survey all over the country to estimate the level of sufferings, faced by the homebound people in their journeys through the country's highways, waterways and railways.
According to their estimation, roads and highways accounted for the highest volume of additional fare of Tk 62.25 billion, followed by waterways (Tk 40.00 billion), and railways Tk 7.75 billion for the total 15 days before and after the festival (since 25th Ramadan).
BJKS revealed its report at a press briefing at National Press Club, where central committee member of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) Rajekuzzaman Ratan, central committee member of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) Ruhin Hossain Prince, President of Nagorik Sanghati Sharifuzzaman Sharif, and Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism of Jagannath University Razib Meer were present, among others.   
As per the calculation, some 80,000 buses are now plying through the highways and the survey measured each of the vehicles as 40-seated one. The transport operators are charging Tk 300 on an average from each traveler and thus collecting Tk 12,000 in addition a day, and the amount will be Tk 14.40 billion for 15 days.
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