The government has finally increased bus fares for all types of city and inter-district routes by 11 paisa per kilometre, four days after hiking fuel prices, rejecting transport owners' demand for a 22 paisa increase.
Announcing the fares at a press conference on Thursday, Road Transport, Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam described the move as an adjustment based solely on fuel costs, without considering other factors.
"We consider this an adjustment, not an increase in bus fares," the minister said, despite acknowledging that the transport sector's demand for a 22 paisa hike, citing the rising dollar price, was logical.
However, the minister said the new fares would be effective from Thursday but transport leaders said that the revised fares will be collected from passengers once the new fare charts are displayed.
"After gazette notification, a fare chart will be displayed in all bus operators tomorrow so that new fares can be collected," Dhaka Bus Owners Association (DBOA) General Secretary Saiful Alam told the FE over phone.
Meanwhile, the Passengers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (PWAB) has welcomed the government's decision, appreciating its move to ignore the transport sector's demand for a 22 paisa bus fare increase.
According to the revised fares, per-kilometre fare for non-AC buses on Dhaka and Chattogram routes has been set at Tk2.53, up from Tk 2.42.
For inter-district routes, bus fares have been increased to Tk 2.23 per kilometre from Tk2.12.
In metropolitan areas and in the areas under jurisdiction of the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority, fares have been revised to Tk 2.43 per kilometre from Tk 2.32.
The increases represent 4.54 per cent, 5.19 per cent, and 4.74 per cent rise respectively.
The minimum fares for buses and minibuses will remain unchanged at Tk 10 and Tk 8 respectively.
BRTA Establishment Section of the Road Transport and Highways Division issued a circular under the Road Transport Act 2018, Section 34(2) on Thursday.
The Road Transport and Highways Division had received a proposal from the Fare Adjustment Committee under the BRTA on Monday with the recommendation to increase bus fares by 22 paisa for all three categories.c The minister, along with officials concerned and transport leaders, held meetings on Wednesday and again before Thursday's press conference to finalise the rates.
Reacting to the government's decision, the DBOA General Secretary said they had advised the government to adjust bus fares simultaneously with fuel price changes from now.
smunima@yahoo.com
