​​​​​​​Jatri Kalyan Samity for half-fare for students on all public transports

Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity has demanded half fare for students on all public transports in the road, rail and waterways across the country.

During a press conference in front of the Dhaka Reporters' Unity on Saturday, the association also highlighted the recent accusations by students of being harassed and pushed off buses for paying half fares on bus rides.

At the same time, the passengers' welfare platform has urged the government to implement govt-fixed fares on public transports in all routes across the country to relieve passengers from disarray over taking extra fares.  

Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, secretary-general of the platform, said initially the road transport minister announced taking half-fare in BRTC buses after students have staged protests for a long time. And then bus owners agreed to cut fares by half for students travelling on buses, but only in Dhaka city.

"However, the half fare in public transports is yet to be implemented fully. There are allegations of making impediments for students on their bus rides. Helpers of bus drivers are reluctant to take half fare or misbehave with students for offering half fare. Even some of them are allegedly pushing off students from buses," he added.

Mozammel also said people who are leading the transport sector are responsible for such mismanagement on the city streets. It is necessary to have changes in the leadership of the transport owners-workers platforms to make a positive change in the overall transport sector.

At that time, he also called for ending the anarchy over realising extra fare from passengers on public transports all over the country.

To this end, twenty-point recommendations were put forward in the press conference. 

The recommendations include-- giving half-fare facilities to students subject to displaying of ID card all the time while on public transports; stopping insulting, humiliating passengers for refusal to pay extra fare over the BRTA-list; stopping harassment of students by bus staff from getting off the bus; To issue instructions specifying the punishment for drivers, helpers, ticket sellers in case of refusal to carry the students or not taking half fare from them.

They also recommend -- displaying BRTA fare rates on all buses, taking action against transport owners for charging extra fares, stopping harassment of passengers by transport workers, and stopping the fare robbery on public transport.

On 3 November, the government raised the fuel prices by Tk15 per litre, prompting transport owners to enforce an indefinite strike in the country, demanding a hike in bus fares.

Later, the government raised the fares of city service and long-haul buses by more than 25%. Following the fare hike, students started demonstrating on Dhaka streets, demanding half fares on public transports.