Half day hartal in Narayanganj tomorrow

A half-day hartal will be observed in Narayanganj town on Sunday as the district administration missed the deadline to reduce bus fares on the Dhaka-Narayanganj route from Tk 55 to Tk 45, a said Rafiur Rabbi, head of the Passenger Rights Protection Forum, a Narayanganj-based organization.

It will be the first stop since the formation of the interim government in August, he added.

The rabbi made the announcement during a rally today at the central Narayanganj Shaheed Minar, following back-to-back programs demanding reduction in bus fares on the Dhaka-Narayanganj route.

According to the forum, the fare on this route for non-air-conditioned buses is currently Tk55, which protesters say should be Tk45. They also demanded that the fare of AC buses, which is Tk 80, should be reduced to Tk 65. The demands also included a half-fare guarantee for students.

Earlier on October 27, the organization had announced a series of programs at a press conference at Narayanganj Press Club.

To make its case for price reductions, the organization said it has scheduled nine separate events starting October 29.

“We have not suddenly demanded a reduction in bus fare. We have been struggling for many years to keep the fare reasonable in Narayanganj. But the ministers and bureaucrats of every government fix the fares to give benefits to transport owners. As we have said on several occasions, “The price per kilometer set by the government is unreasonable. Dictator Sheikh Hasina set this tariff to give advantages to the (transport) mafia of her party cadres,” the rabbi said at an event today.

He also claimed that the district administration and the BRTA were taking the side of the owners without thinking of the estimated 50,000 thousand regular passengers.

“We are not against bus owners, we are against mafias and extortionists. If extortion is completely stopped, bus owners can make a profit on the fare of Tk 45,” the rabbi added.

Addressing the Narayanganj DC, he added, “This is a public demand…all political parties, cultural and social organizations are for this. Fix the bus fare at Tk 45 without delay. Otherwise, the people of Narayanganj will announce the second phase of this movement after the half-day hartal on Saturday.”

A torchlight procession also took place in the city after the evening gathering.

When contacted, Narayanganj deputy commissioner Mohammad Mahmudul Haque said, “We have had several discussions with all stakeholders, but no decision has been finalized yet. A decision will be announced within a day or two.”