An official initiative by the local administration to grant a sweeping fine waiver to thousands of illegal CNG-powered auto-rickshaws and auto-tempos in Sirajganj has ignited widespread criticism.
Experts and compliant transport operators warn that forgiving years of financial non-compliance could cost the state treasury up to Tk 700 crore in lost revenue while indirectly validating a lucrative illegal extortion network.
The controversy stems from a formal letter sent on July 13 by Md. Aminul Islam, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Sirajganj and President of the District Passenger and Goods Transport Committee. Writing directly to the Chairman of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), the DC requested a complete exemption from penalties for registering and updating long-overdue documents on behalf of the District CNG-Powered Auto-Rickshaw and Auto-Tempo Human Hauler Owners’ Group.
If approved, the move would grant a massive financial pardon to commercial operators who have knowingly operated outside the legal framework for years, sparking sharp questions over administrative impartiality.
AN EIGHT-YEAR LICENSING FREEZE AND ESCALATING REVENUE LOSSES
Official data obtained from the district BRTA office through a Right to Information (RTI) application reveals that Sirajganj has only 4,010 legally registered CNG auto-rickshaws. The last official registration was issued on December 24, 2018. Over the subsequent eight years, no new CNG registrations were processed in the district.
Today, local estimates indicate that over 40,000 unlicensed and unrenewed CNG auto-rickshaws dominate district roads and regional highways. Virtually all of these vehicles operate without updated fitness certificates, valid route permits, or current tax tokens.
According to standard BRTA fee structures, the regular annual renewal cost per CNG vehicle—including road tax, fitness fees, route permits, and Advance Income Tax (AIT)—is Tk 12,889. Failure to renew on time incurs strict annual late penalties averaging Tk 8,413. Over an eight-year lapse, the combined backlog of renewal fees and late fines for a single registered vehicle totals Tk 1,70,416. For an unregistered vehicle seeking formal documentation, adding the initial registration fee of Tk 18,239 brings the total required payout to Tk 1,88,655.
A DETAILED FISCAL BREAKDOWN HIGHLIGHTS THE EXTENT OF PUBLIC REVENUE LOST:
Registered Fleet Loss: Uncollected renewal fees and accumulated late penalties for the 4,010 registered units stand at approximately Tk 68.33 crore.
Unregistered Fleet Loss: Potential revenue withheld from an estimated 35,000 unregistered vehicles exceeds Tk 678.96 crore.
In total, the government faces a combined revenue shortfall of nearly Tk 747 crore—a sum that the proposed waiver would permanently erase.
THE “TOKEN” SYNDICATE: A TK 24-CRORE ANNUAL EXTORTION RACKET
The central driver behind widespread non-compliance is an organized, illicit collection system operating in plain sight.
Instead of paying the official annual fee of Tk 12,889 to the state, auto-rickshaw drivers pay a monthly toll of Tk 500 to field agents recruited by the owners’ association. In return, drivers receive a specialized monthly sticker, locally known as a “token.” Displaying this token grants immunity on the road, shielding drivers from intervention by traffic police or law enforcement.
At Tk 500 per month, an operator pays Tk 6,000 annually—less than half the cost of legal compliance. This illicit collection system generates roughly Tk 2 crore every month, channeling an estimated Tk 24 crore annually into syndicate pockets.
Insiders allege these funds are distributed among corrupt officials across traffic police units, local police stations, the BRTA, and the deputy commissioner’s office. Established during the previous Awami League administration, this token system has allowed association leaders—reportedly backed by an influential media personality linked to a former ruling-party MP—to bypass legal regulations for nearly two decades.
INSTITUTIONAL DOUBLE STANDARDS AND PUBLIC RESENTMENT
The proposal to forgive unpaid penalties has drawn intense backlash from compliant commercial vehicle operators, including local freight transport owners, who view the measure as gross institutional bias.
“These vehicles have operated illegally for years, bypassing the law and taking money out of state coffers,” said a local truck owner, speaking anonymously. “Now the administration is trying to wipe away their debts. Honest transport owners ask why illegal syndicates are receiving special concessions while law-abiding citizens pay full taxes.”
When questioned about toll collections, Al Amin Chowdhury Palash, President of the CNG Owners’ Group, acknowledged collecting monthly fees, claiming a Ministry of Commerce directive permitted a daily fee of Tk 10 (Tk 300 monthly). However, he could not explain the remaining Tk 200 per driver nor produce official documentation, advising reporters to contact the group’s general secretary instead.
BRTA Assistant Director Abu Naim cited enforcement efforts, noting that BRTA, alongside district authorities, conducted 588 joint drives and filed 1,020 cases between 2019 and 2023 across all vehicle types. However, he declined to comment on whether these measures were proportional to the thousands of unflagged vehicles operating daily.
District administration officials have yet to issue an official comment on the waiver request. As public scrutiny intensifies, authorities face a critical decision; enforce statutory compliance to recover nearly Tk 700 crore in state funds, or endorse an administrative exemption that risks normalizing systemic corruption.
