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Published : 22 Jan 2025, 01:42 AM
The Roads and Highways Department, or RHD, has proposed reducing the toll lease for the Rear Admiral M A Khan Lamakazi Bridge on the Sylhet-Sunamganj road to nearly half of its previous term's rate, raising eyebrows among transport drivers, owners, and workers alike.
On Dec 2, a report signed by Executive Engineer Amir Hossain of the RHD Sylhet Division suggested reducing the toll lease by 46.25 percent from the previous three-year term, during which the RHD collected tolls at a rate of Tk 136,801 per day from the lessee.
The new proposal suggests leasing the toll collection rights for the same period at Tk 73,525 per day.
The report cites "reduced" vehicle flow on the bridge as the reason for the proposed lower rate, after the Raniganj Bridge in Sunamganj opened on Nov 7, 2022.
Built over the Kushiara River on the Pagla-Jagannathpur-Aushkandi road, the Raniganj Bridge has diverted much of the traffic, reportedly impacting toll revenue from the Lamakazi Bridge.
However, transport workers on this route argue that traffic levels remain unchanged.
They say that while the current toll collection reaches up to Tk 130,000 per day, the RHD’s proposal suggests a daily toll collection of only Tk 71,000.
When approached for their views, Sylhet District Bus Minibus Coach Microbus Workers' Union President Moynul Islam and Sunamganj District Road Transport Owners’ Association Joint Secretary Abdul Mukit Mukul alleged that RHD officials are setting lease prices artificially low "based on compromise" to "receive commission".
The two labour leaders and local residents called for an end to toll collection at the bridge.
The RHD, however, said the ministry has not made any decision to stop toll collection.
ALLEGATIONS OF IRREGULARITIES IN TOLL COLLECTION
A bridge was constructed in the Lamakazi area of Bishwanath Upazila for road travel from Sylhet to Sunamganj district.
Although officially named MA Khan Bridge, it is locally known as the Lamakazi Bridge.
Built over the Surma River, this bridge connects Sylhet Sadar and Bishwanath Upazila Sadar.
Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali Khan, popularly named as MA Khan, a native of Jalalpur in Sylhet’s South Surma, served as the communications minister from 1982 to June 1984 in military ruler HM Ershad's government.
During his tenure, the construction of the first bridge on the Sylhet-Sunamganj road began.
The bridge was inaugurated on Jan 1, 1984.
Before the bridge's construction, a ferry service operated in the Lamakazi area on the Sylhet-Sunamganj road.
On Aug 6, 1984, nearly seven months after the bridge's inauguration, MA Khan passed away.
Subsequently, the ministry decided to name the first bridge in the Lamakazi area after MA Khan.
The bridge cost around Tk 70 million to build.
For four decades, the RHD has been collecting tolls from this bridge.
Every three years, RHD appoints contractors for toll collection at the Lamakazi Bridge.
The toll collection contract expired on Jun 30, 2024.
Until a new contractor is appointed, RHD continues to collect tolls.
Recently, a visit to the Lamakazi Toll Bridge area revealed various vehicles, including buses, trucks, and autorickshaws, using the bridge.
Tolls were being collected on the western side of the bridge, with over a hundred vehicles crossing in half an hour.
Locals claim that RHD has been collecting tolls since July without disclosing the exact number of vehicles or the toll amount collected daily, alleging irregularities.
Autorickshaw driver Kamal Mia, when asked whether traffic on the Lamakazi Bridge had decreased, said: “I go to Sylhet every day with trips through this bridge. I've been driving autorickshaws on the Sylhet-Gobindaganj-Chhatak road for many years. It’s laughable to suggest that traffic has decreased due to the Raniganj Bridge. I suspect something else is going on here. Residents have long demanded the end of tolls. Instead, they are renewing the lease.”
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina government on Aug 5, toll collection was suspended.
However, autorickshaw driver Alfu Mia alleged that tolls resumed, but no receipts were issued.
He said, “The current toll collectors don’t provide receipts. I argued with them for a receipt one day, but they claimed they didn’t have any. This makes the toll collection illegal. We have been demanding the abolition of tolls for a long time, but they are not complying. Thousands of vehicles cross the bridge daily, so why should the toll lease be reduced?”
Kabir Hossain, chairman of Lamakazi union council, said: “Traffic on the Lamakazi Bridge is increasing daily. It's a highway, so traffic shouldn’t decrease. Tenders are being arranged through negotiations.”
When asked about the allegations of irregularities in toll collection, Amir Hossain, the executive engineer of RHD Sylhet, evaded the question, saying: “People don’t want to pay tolls to our staff. Actually, collecting tolls is not our job. Toll collection should be done through contractors, as per the rules.”
When questioned about alleged irregularities in toll collection, Amir Hossain, the executive engineer of RHD Sylhet, avoided a direct response.
“People don't want to pay tolls to our staff. Collecting tolls is not our responsibility; it should be handled by contractors, as per the regulations.”
EVALUATION REPORT ON LEASE CONTRACTOR APPOINTMENT
The report signed by Sylhet's RHD Executive Engineer Amir Hossain said the lease for the three-year periods of 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 ended on Jun 30, 2024.
Following instructions from higher authorities, the 13th tender for toll collection on the Rear Admiral MA Khan Lamakazi Bridge, located on the 15-kilometre Sylhet-Sunamganj Road, was called on Sept 2, 2024, for the fiscal years 2024-25, 2025-26, and 2026-27.
No tenders were received from the first to the tenth calls, while one bid was received in the 11th call and four bids, including the highest offer, were received in the 12th call.
The 13th tender call resulted in no submissions.
Consequently, it was recommended that the lease be awarded to the highest bidder from the 12th call, Messrs Al Borak Traders, at a total value of nearly Tk 97 million, including VAT and income tax.
Following instructions from the superintendent engineer of Dhaka’s Tejgaon Maintenance Circle, a survey and tender invitation were instructed to be initiated again.
As a result, the 14th and final tender was called by the Sylhet Road Division on Nov 12, 2024.
Two bids were received in the 14th call, with Messrs Mahi Enterprise being considered the highest bidder at Tk 80 million. Including 15 percent VAT and 10 percent income tax, the total amounts to Tk 100 million.
The RHD report stated that a total of 1,095 days were considered over three years, averaging Tk 73,525.11 per day.
In the previous lease term, the daily lease amount was Tk 136,801.81.
The new recommendation sees a daily reduction of Tk 63,276.70, a 46.25 percent decrease.
In the 13th call, the recommendation was an average of Tk 71,029 per day, reflecting a 48.08 percent decrease from the previous term.
However, two contracting firms, Gafur Brothers and Lidhan Enterprise, submitted written requests for the tender to be reissued because they were unable to participate in the 14th toll collection quotation for the Lamakazi Bridge.
In their written application, they said: "The 14th call for the Lamakazi Bridge lease quotation was on Nov 27, 2024. On the day of submission, a large crowd outside the road office prevented us from submitting our bids out of fear. Hence, we have applied for a re-tender. The price quoted in the 14th quotation is not sufficient either. We can accept a schedule at a higher price of Tk 120 million, which will increase government revenue."
REASONS FOR THE PROTEST ACCORDING TO LOCALS
The Lamakazi Bridge is 41 years old, and the cost of its construction should have been recovered long ago.
Since toll collection has been ongoing for four decades, transport worker leaders believe that tolls should no longer be collected from this bridge.
As an example, they cite the Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge over the Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh, commonly known as the Shambhuganj Bridge, which was inaugurated in 1991 and started toll collection in 1992. Tolls were collected from this bridge for 33 years.
After the fall of the government last year on Aug 5, toll collection from that bridge ceased.
When tolls were reinstated a few days later, public pressure forced the government authorities to stop toll collection again.
Abdul Mukit, the joint general secretary of the Sunamganj District Road Transport Owners Association, said: "If toll collection can be stopped after 33 years for the China Friendship Bridge in Mymensingh, why should tolls continue to be collected from the Lamakazi Bridge after 40 years? The locals and workers want toll collection from this bridge to end."
He added, “Only a few vehicles use the Raniganj Bridge daily. Buses heading to Dhaka take the route via Sylhet, while only trucks use the Raniganj route. Daily toll collection from the Lamakazi Bridge amounts to at least Tk 160,000.”
Mukul alleged, “The reason the Lamakazi Bridge lease price has decreased this year is that officials are receiving commissions from it, so they are leasing it out as they please to keep the toll collection ongoing.”
Sylhet District Bus Minibus Coach Microbus Workers’ Union President Moynul said: “Traffic on the Lamakazi Bridge has increased compared with before. The daily toll collection from the Lamakazi Bridge ranges between Tk 150,000 to Tk 200,000. So, logically, the lease amount should be doubled compared to before; why would it decrease? In reality, tenders are being manipulated through mutual understanding.”
“Only a limited number of vehicles use the Raniganj Bridge. We have consistently demanded the cancellation of the lease for this bridge, and if it isn’t cancelled, we will take strict measures.”
However, Amir Hossain, the executive engineer of Sylhet’s RHD, said: “Since there were protests demanding toll abolition from that bridge, it’s better to lease the bridge to a toll operator. The ministry hasn’t decided to stop toll collection; we have received instructions to keep it operational.”
Regarding the demands of the locals, he added: “People are pressing to lease the bridge.”
WHAT RHD SAYS
Sylhet RHD Executive Engineer Amir said: “Currently, the daily toll collection at Lamakazi Bridge ranges from Tk 115,000 to 130,000. However, this amount tends to decrease during the rainy season. As we are in the peak season now, toll collection is higher. In July, toll revenue was as low as Tk 85,000 on some days.”
Transport workers and drivers using this route, however, disagreed with this assessment.
They explained that the reduced toll collection in July was due to nationwide protests, which led to decreased traffic after mid-July.
Consequently, it was expected that toll revenue would be lower during that period.
Local residents, on the other hand, argued that vehicle movement increases during the rainy season, particularly as many people travel to the haor region.
Visitors heading to Tanguar Haor, for example, primarily use this route.
When asked about the vehicle count on this road, Engineer Amir said: “This is a manually operated toll bridge. If it were digitised, we could accurately track the number of vehicles passing through.”
Regarding the two re-tender applications, Amir clarified: “We have submitted a report as directed. We’ve received two similar applications, identical in content. This is not the first time; we’ve received three similar applications earlier, but after issuing letters to those applicants, we received no response. Therefore, we consider these applications invalid.”
[Writing in English by Arshi Fatiha Quazi and Sheikh Fariha Bristy]
