Rights activists on Friday said that communications minister Syed Abul Hossain should resign for his failure to control anarchy in charging fares from passengers by transport owners.
At a rally organised by Citizens' Rights Movement in front of National Press Club in the capital, they also demanded steps to stop further conversion of vehicles other than public transports to CNG-run vehicles and revitalise Bangladesh Road Transport Authority.
Presided over by Citizens' Rights Movement secretary general Tusher Rehman, the rally was addressed by Citizens' Solidarity general secretary Sharifuzzaman Sharif, PEACE secretary general Ifma Hossain, former director general of Water Development Board M Inamul Haque, Nirapad Development Foundation chairman Ibnul Syed Rana, Unnayan Dhara Trust member-secretary Aminur Rasul Babul and Communist Party of Bangladesh leader Ruhin Hossain Prince.
Referring to the communications minister's statement that route permits would be cancelled if any transport company raised fares before the new fare chart was gazetted, Tusher Rehman said, the minister should resign as the transport owners had ignored his warning and hiked fares at whim.
'The minister's silence over the issue is encouraging the transport owners,' he added.
Ruhin Hossain Prince described the fare hike 'inhuman' and said, 'Transport fares were already exorbitant before the new chart was announced. So the fresh fare hike cannot be acceptable to the low-income people.'
Journalist Shuvo Kibria said only four per cent of the compressed natural gas produced in the country was being used by the public transport sector and demanded that steps should be taken for increased use of CNG in public transports to check fare hike.
He said that no more vehicles other than public transports should be allowed to run on CNG.
'The government cannot look after the interest of a few businessmen forgetting about 7.5million citizens who have been hit hard by the decision to increase transport fares,' he said and warned that the people would give a befitting reply in the next election.
They termed the BRTA an ineffective organisation and called for its reform in order to revitalise the public transport sector.
The speakers said the prices of food and other essential commodities had increased 20 per cent over the last two years and the fuel price and transport fare hikes would cause a fresh spate of price increase in the market.
They sought the prime minister's intervention to stop the anarchy in the public transport sector to ease the sufferings of the low-income people.
Source: New Age
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