Bangabandhu Bridge fetches Tk 6,494cr in tolls until June

Bangabandhu Bridge, commonly known as Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge has fetched Tk 6,494 crore in tolls until June 30, 2021 since its inauguration in 1998.

The bridge was constructed at a cost of Tk 3,745 crore in 1990s, meaning that total toll collection has been 173 percent higher than the cost of the viaduct, according to the Bridges Division.

Even in the coronavirus pandemic, the authorities collected nearly Tk 655 crore in fiscal 2020-21, highest ever amount.

Once again, the government is planning to increase the toll rate from this October upon approval of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The coronavirus pandemic took heavy tolls on almost every sector, but the levy collection from the Bangabandhu Bridge remained unaffected.

In fiscal 2020-21 a total of 73,09,396 vehicles used the bridge, up by 22 percent from 59,97,130 vehicles a year ago, according to government data.

According to the Bridges Division, the movement of vehicles on the bridge came down in fiscal 2019-20 as there were 66 days of general holiday imposed to curb the spread of the virus. As a result, the amount of toll collection declined significantly that time.

The government increased the toll rate by 17 percent in September 2011 to boost collections as the annual income from the bridge was below Tk 300 crore. After a decade the government is going to increase the toll rate by an average 17 percent, a senior official of the Bridges Division said.

According to the new proposal, the toll for a motorbike will be increased to Tk 50 from present Tk 40, while the toll for a car and jeep will be increased to Tk 550 from Tk 500, respectively.

A microbus or a pickup (weight less than one and a half tonnes) will have to pay Tk 600, up from present Tk 500.

Besides, the toll for a 31-seater bus will be Tk 750 instead of the existing Tk 650, while it will be Tk 1,000 for a large bus instead of Tk 900 now.

The toll for goods-laden small truck (weight up to five tonnes), will be Tk 1,000 from Tk 850, medium sized truck (weight five to eight tonnes) Tk 1,250 from Tk 1,000 and a large sized truck (weight eight to 11 tonnes) Tk 1,600 from Tk 1,400, respectively.

Apart from this, the new toll rate has been proposed for the three-axle trucks like the covered vans and trailers which have been newly included in the toll chart.

The toll for the three-axle truck will be Tk 2,000 and four-axle will be Tk 3,000, respectively and for a trailer with capacity of more than four-axle will be Tk 3,000 and additional Tk 1,000 will be added against each additional axle.

Besides, the Bangladesh Railway pays Tk 50 lakh a year to the Bridges Division for running intercity trains and that BR has to pay double or Tk 1 crore (10 million) when the new toll rates come into effect.

Bridges Division Secretary Abu Bakar Siddique said the new toll rate has already been approved by the Finance Ministry and the Bridges Division, as well.

“We will place a summary report on the new toll rate before the Prime Minister soon,” he said.