Govt moves to strengthen digital toll collection on major bridges ahead of Eid
To ensure smooth travel for homebound people during Eid, the ETC lanes at each toll plaza will be kept fully operational so that drivers can pay tolls without stopping and cross the bridges quickly.
A coordination meeting was held to strengthen the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system to ensure smooth, fast and uninterrupted movement of vehicles at the toll plazas of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Jamuna Bridge and Muktarpur Bridge during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha in 2026.
The meeting, held today (15 March) at the conference room of the Bridges Division, decided to further strengthen toll collection activities by increasing the use of ETC lanes, reads a press release.
The meeting was chaired by Bridges Division Secretary and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority Mohammad Abdur Rouf. Senior officials from the Bridges Division and Bangladesh Bridge Authority, the chairman of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) in additional charge, leaders of transport associations, representatives of transport owners and representatives of various mobile financial service (MFS) providers were present.
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Officials from the site offices of the respective bridges also joined the meeting and presented the field-level preparations.
In his remarks, the Bridges Division secretary said the prime minister had instructed authorities to take necessary steps to modernise the country's transport and communication system. To achieve this goal, the minister and state minister of the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry have been working tirelessly and providing necessary guidance.
The Bangladesh Bridge Authority is committed to implementing the ETC system on its bridges to meet public expectations and ensure coordinated implementation of the government's directives, he added.
BRTA Chairman (additional charge) Abu Momtaz Saad Uddin Ahmed said they would provide maximum support for implementing the ETC system. Leaders of transport associations, representatives of transport owners and MFS providers also pledged cooperation from their respective sides.
To ensure smooth travel for homebound people during Eid, the ETC lanes at each toll plaza will be kept fully operational so that drivers can pay tolls without stopping and cross the bridges quickly.
With support from BRTA and transport owners' associations, integrated service booths will be set up at bus terminals to facilitate rapid installation and registration of RFID tags for both commercial and private vehicles.
To allow travellers to recharge their toll accounts easily, arrangements will also be made to ensure instant recharge facilities through mobile financial services.
