National Committee demands to reduce toll on Padma Bridge

The National Committee for the Protection of Shipping, Roads and Railways has called for a reduction in the amount of toll announced by the government for using Padma Bridge.

In a statement on Tuesday (May 17th), the organization's president Haji Mohammad Shahid Mia and general secretary Ashish Kumar Dey made the call to the government.

The statement said that while the whole of Bangladesh was counting down the days to the inauguration of the Padma Bridge, a dream built by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with prudent, courage and strong steps, the rate of unusual toll set across the bridge had disappointed the nation.

The statement drew the attention of the Prime Minister to reconsider the issue of setting toll rates considering the financial viability of the general public.

The statement said the toll rates set by the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges were "unbearable" and that excessive tolls on all types of passenger and freight vehicles, including motorcycles and private vehicles, would greatly increase the cost of transporting and transporting goods. Due to this decision of the bridge department, the life of the people will become miserable.

The organization, which works on rivers, shipping, public transport, the environment and civil rights, claims that the high toll will have a direct negative impact on passengers using the Padma Bridge. On the other hand, commodity prices will rise due to rising transport costs; Whose compensation will have to be paid to all classes of people across the country.

The Padma bridge will be inaugurated next June. Earlier, it was hoped that the government would issue a revised gazette setting the amount of toll at a tolerable level.