The government has fixed tolls for vehicles using the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Expressway on the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga route, which will come into effect on Friday.
It is certain that the new charges on vehicles will raise transport costs.
Freight trailers will have to pay a maximum toll of Tk 1,690 while the minimum toll has been fixed for motorcycles at Tk 30, according a notice issued by the Road Transport and Highways Division on Wednesday, reports bdnews.
The toll for heavy trucks has been set at Tk 1,100, medium trucks Tk 550, big buses Tk 495, mini trucks Tk 415, minibus or coaster Tk 275, microbus Tk 220 and sedan cars Tk 140.
Although the toll for motorcycles was also fixed, Roads and Highways Department (RHD) yesterday said it was considering banning the operation of bikes on the expressway.
However, the two-wheelers would be able to use service lanes of the country`s first expressway, formally known as Jatir Pita Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Highway.
The tolls for the expressway are exclusive of the tolls for the Padma Bridge, which is on the same route.
People have to pay tolls to cross Buriganga Bridge 1, Dhaleshwari Bridge and Arial Khan Bridge while travelling through the expressway.
They will not need to pay tolls to cross these bridges once the tolling for the expressway begins on Friday.
The construction of the first expressway in the country cost Tk 110 billion. It has 44 culverts, 19 underpasses, four big bridges, 25 small bridges, five flyovers, two interchains and four railway overpasses.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the expressway on Mar 11, 2021, a year before the Padma Bridge opened.
The government appointed Korea Expressway Corporation, a South Korean company, to oversee the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga expressway, collect tolls and operate its transportation system for five years.
For example, a sedan car crossing the expressway to the other side of the bridge will have to pay a total of Tk 890 toll combining Tk 140 for the expressway and Tk 750 for the bridge.
However, it is not clear in the statement whether there will be a reduced toll if the expressway is not fully used.
-20241125100539.jpg)
