BBA launches ‘credit toll’ system for govt vehicles

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) has introduced ‘credit toll’ system for public-sector vehicles, including those owned by the law-enforcing agencies, after withdrawing the toll-waiver facility for those for using all its bridges, officials said.

The ministries and departments concerned will have to obtain prior permission through making formal communications with the BBA to avail the ‘credit toll’ facility and pay the dues at regular intervals.

The toll-waiver facility for the public vehicles has been withdrawn from the first day of this month, Rupam Anwar, a director at the BBA, told the FE on Monday.

He said toll for the BBA bridges is being collected by the companies concerned, which are awarded with the task.

The BBA itself needs to pay the toll on behalf of the public sector vehicles, entitled to the waiver facility, to the toll collection companies.

Moreover, the BBA needs to keep budgetary allocation to pay toll for its own vehicles, used for inspection, operation and maintenance, and people who work for the bridges, said Mr Anwar.

Every month the toll collection companies keep a record of how many toll-free vehicles pass the bridges, and later the BBA pays them the toll for those, which is a very large amount.

“We have introduced the ‘credit toll’ system instead of the toll waiver facility for the public sector vehicles to enhance our earning,” he added.

Last month, Bridge Division Secretary Monjur Hossain, in a letter to the ministries, departments, and law-enforcing agencies, sought cooperation in withdrawing the toll waiver facility for their vehicles to enhance the BBA’s earning, as the organisation runs with its own income.

According to his letter, only the motorcade of the President and the vehicles of companies engaged in respective bridge operation and maintenance will be allowed to cross the bridges without paying toll.

The BBA-appointed contractors collect toll from the Bangabandhu Bridge over Jamuna River, Padma Bridge over Padma River, and Muktarpur Bridge over Dhaleshwari River.

According to the letter, apart from the bridge maintenance cost, the BBA pays salary to its employees, conducts studies, prepares master plan, implements projects, and bears other expenses from its own earnings.

The BBA also took huge loans from home and abroad for constructing the bridges and other infrastructure, and it repays the loans from the toll collection income.

The Bridge Division secretary wrote that the Prime Minister pays toll on-site when her motorcade crosses the bridges.

However, the vehicles of the BBA, army, police, bridge operation and maintenance companies, and many other public sector entities cross the bridges without paying toll.

“Due to the toll waiver the BBA is losing huge revenue. Thus, repaying the local and foreign loans as well as maintaining own expenditure becomes tough for the authority,” he wrote.

Mr Hossain, also the BBA executive director, told the FE on Monday that with the new arrangement, the BBA’s own vehicles also pay toll while crossing the bridges.

Only vehicles of the law-enforcing agencies, engaged in ensuring security of the bridges, and the President’s motorcade will enjoy the toll waiver.

Moreover, in case of any incident or emergency situation, the vehicles of the law-enforcing agencies and fire service and ambulances will cross the bridges without paying toll.

Regarding the ‘credit toll’, he said, if any government agency makes delay in paying toll within the stipulated period, it will lose the facility, after review.

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