While the movement with papers in the office rooms was limited to BRTA employees and Ansar members during the day time, brokers were seen entering different rooms with papers in the evening. Taking advantage of that directive some of the officials were working till 9pm only to continue their illegal activities safely. The BRTA chairman recently asked the officials to work even after the office period as the pressure of the service receivers can increase because of implementation of Road Transport Law 2018. Later some of the officials were found working in the office at night.
They were seen receiving papers from the brokers and taking bribe from the brokers, transport owners and drivers in the broad daylight. While visiting BRTA’s Mirpur office we found a number of Ansar members carrying different papers of the service receivers from one room to another. With the help of some errant BRTA employees and Ansar members, opportunist brokers have established a reign of irregularities in the BRTA offices. The reality also reflects the minister’s statement. If there is no connection from inside, then how can the brokers from outside come to work here?” Earlier this year he said, “A section of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority officials have ‘illegal connection’ with brokers. Even the road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader questioned the honesty of BRTA officials several times. Their study also revealed that 62% of transport owners and 80% of transport drivers had to pay bribe to the BRTA officials in the last year for receiving their required service. According to a report published by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), 66% service receivers of BRTA had to become the victims of corruption in 2018. And such accusations are still a reality. But since the beginning of BRTA’s operation many questions were raised regarding the integrity of its officials.
It was made responsible for training the drivers, providing driving license, permitting routes, collecting tax, registering new vehicles, renewing the registration of old vehicles and checking the fitness of those vehicles. If a BRTA office is operated in this way in the capital under the very nose of the authorities, then what about the other 57 district and 4 metro offices of BRTA?īangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) was established in 1988 as the regulatory body to control and manage the road transport sector and ensure discipline on the roads. Dissatisfied transport owners and drivers in queue were angry with them but they had no other choice. There I found that some of the BRTA and Ansar officials were collecting bribe in the broad daylight. Without spending more words I entered the BRTA compound to realise the situation. Responding to my repeated requests he finally agreed to arrange all the necessary documents and do my work within seven days in exchange for Tk 18000. As it is an emergency case, they will charge extra money. The broker said that usually they take Tk 11000-12000 for providing an unprofessional driving license for light vehicles. According to him, BRTA officials will not accept my medical certificates and other documents and they will harass me until I offer them bribe. License can be collected on emergency basis (without attending the driving course) but in that case I have to spend Tk 20000! When I said it was too much for me and the BRTA’s driving course fee for light vehicles was Tk 6,000 only, the broker informed me that I would never be able to get a driving license smoothly by completing driving course even if I perform well. He replied that if anyone wants to get license for light vehicles, he/she has to participate in a four- week-long basic driving course organised by BRTA. Caught in utter surprise I discovered that they were gossiping and waiting for the service receivers standing right beside that signboard! I went to them and asked one of them about the way to manage a driving license for private car within a short period of time. Pointing his hand to the left he indicated to a few people standing in front of the BRTA office. While visiting the office recently this correspondent asked a nearby tea stall vendor about the whereabouts of the brokers. There is a signboard hung on two iron pillars outside the BRTA’s Mirpur office where all have been asked to remain watchful to the activities of the brokers.