A syndicate has been traveling on the metro without paying fares by using a clever and coordinated method, according to the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL). Through an analysis of suspicious entry and exit data, the company discovered that in just one month, the group managed to travel for free—causing an estimated loss of around five lakh taka.

To prevent such activities, authorities have introduced a Tk 100 penalty for anyone entering a station without the intent to travel. However, this new rule has also caused inconvenience for regular commuters.

Every day, about 450,000 passengers use the metro rail. Amid this huge crowd, a small organized group has been taking advantage of the system to avoid paying fares for months. According to DMTCL Managing Director Faruk Ahmed, the fraud works in a chain: one person enters a station using a card, then hands it to another person who exits at a different station with the same card—without triggering a fare deduction.

He added that around 60 individuals were responsible for causing financial losses of nearly five lakh taka in the past month. These users would enter a station, swipe their cards, but not officially exit. By recycling around 40 to 60 cards, they continued exploiting this loophole for about three months.

DMTCL has analyzed card usage patterns to identify the group. Around 60 cards have already been blocked, and two people have been detained.

Previously, metro passengers could exit within five minutes of entering without paying any fare—a loophole the group exploited. From October 20, this gap has been closed. Now, anyone entering and exiting the same station must pay a Tk 100 penalty.

However, the sudden enforcement has frustrated many commuters, who claim the policy was introduced without proper notice. They argue that people might have genuine reasons to exit soon after entering—such as emergencies—and such cases should be considered.

In response, DMTCL’s Managing Director Faruk Ahmed said that authorities might review and reduce the penalty if it causes undue suffering for ordinary passengers.

Commuters have also urged the metro authorities to reconsider the decision, saying that a few offenders should not cause inconvenience for thousands of honest passengers.