Commuters are usually forced to pay at least two times the meter fares when they travel on CNG-run auto-rickshaws in the capital. The same fare shoots up three to four times ahead of Eid, as drivers don't agree to go until their demands are met.

The auto-rickshaw drivers hold people hostage every day under the very nose of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). Several drives of the authorities have left little impact on the drivers charging fares whimsically.

It was 1:00pm on July 6. Three CNG-run auto-rickshaws were waiting for passengers in front of Square Hospital when Rupok approached them to go home in Basabo.

Usually, Rupok pays Tk 150 for the distance, but the drivers demanded Tk 250 to Tk 300.

“I know they don't run on meter anymore and I have to make a contract. But the fare should not be more than Tk 150. These drivers are demanding at least Tk 250 on the occasion of Eid and traffic jam,” he said.

He finally had to give in and accept the Tk 250 fare to go home.

A BRTA official told The Daily Star they led drives but “the passengers do not cooperate with them to catch the culprits”.

Shanta Begum and her mother-in-law was looking for an auto-rickshaw for Gabtoli on the same day at Mirhajirbagh kitchen market in Jatrabari area.

A driver agreed to go and demanded Tk 400. Shanta, who is used to go to Gabtoli from Jatrabari, said, “I often go there at Tk 300.”

“It's the festival time,” the driver in a sky-blue shirt with sun-burned face responded in a clumsy manner and hastened away.

Defending himself, Mojibor Mia, another CNG driver, who parked his auto-rickshaw near the Teacher Student Centre at Dhaka University, said, “Price of everything has shot up. On top of that Eid is coming. If I run on meter, I won't be able to meet my family's demands.”

He alleged the auto-rickshaw owners do not comply with the government's directive and charge Tk 1,000 or more in rent per day. According to the BRTA rules, the daily rent is fixed at Tk 600.

Around 13,000 auto-rickshaws ply on Dhaka and the current minimum fare for a CNG-run three-wheeler is Tk 25 for the first two kilometres. The charge for next kilometre is Tk 7 and midway intermission charge is Tk 1.25.

But the drivers hardly switch on the meter. Even if they turn on the meter, they do it to escape punishment and ask the passengers not to tell the truth.

Executive Magistrate of BRTA Debashis Nag said they have been conducting drives at different parts of the capital to check if the drivers are violating the rules.

“Most of the time, the passengers don't cooperate with us and save the drivers. Today [July 7], I led a drive and only one passenger said the driver was not running on meter. I fined the driver Tk 1,000 on the spot,” he added.

On excessive charges realised by the owners, he said they often record drivers' claims in mobile and call the respective owners. “The owners are shown the testimony of the drivers and are fined as well. But it has problems too. Those drivers have to face repercussion for their testimony,” he observed.

Admitting the fact, Dhaka Mahanagar CNG Owners Association President Barkat Ullah Bulu said the fare should be increased to Tk 40 for first two kilometres, Tk 12 for next kilometre and Tk 2 as waiting charge during a trip.

He also demanded increasing daily rent to Tk 900 from Tk 600.

“If it happens and drivers still refuse to go on meter, BRTA can take whatever legal action they want. We will rather assist the authorities to punish those drivers,” he said.

BRTA Chairman Nazrul Islam said, “Does an auto-rickshaw driver ever want to take a short trip? No, we have never seen that.”

“Many things are involved with the increase in fare. Alongside, we will have to consider how much it might affect the commuters and how much they [drivers and owners] are law-abiding,” he added.

“They [drivers and owners] too should change their mentality,” he observed.