‘Rhetoric’ of minister as overcharging reported even on BRTC buses during Eid rush

Despite the transport minister’s claim that no extra fares were charged during the Eid rush, passengers have alleged widespread overcharging, with evidence found even on state-run BRTC buses.Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam recently said fares remained fair during Eid, adding that in some cases passengers were even charged less than the fixed rates.However, visits to major bus terminals in the Dhaka including Sayedabad, Gulistan, Gabtoli and Mohakhali between Tuesday and Thursday revealed a different scenario.Passengers alleged that both private operators and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) buses charged fares higher than the approved rates.On Thursday evening, Faisal Hossain bought a ticket from the BRTC counter at Gulistan for Barishal. While the usual fare is Tk 600, he was charged Tk 1,000. Similar complaints were reported by many passengers travelling on BRTC buses to Barishal since afternoon.Responding to the issue, Barishal BRTC depot manager Julfikar Ali said two ...

• 19 Mar 2026