The government has refixed fare for both long-distance and intercity buses by reducing Tk 0.03 per passenger per kilometre in the wake of a reduction in fuel prices.
The Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) has revised the fare for all diesel-run buses and minibuses, said a notification on Monday.
"The new bus fare will come into effect today," it says.
The notification also says the new fare chart will not be applicable to petrol- and octane-run passenger transport.
Earlier, the fare fixation committee recommended reducing fare only by 3 paisa for 52-seat diesel-driven buses and minibuses after a meeting at the BRTA office on Monday with BRTA Chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder in the chair.
With the new fare chart, fares of earlier declared chart issued on August 31, 2022 will be obsolete, it says.
However, the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association has criticised the reduction of only 3 paisa as farcical and said the government is playing with mass people in the name of bus fare re-fixation.
The government has reduced the fuel price twice on March 7 and March 31 following its decision to fix the price automated formula.
The government on Sunday reduced the prices of diesel and kerosene by Tk 2.25 per litre.
Early on March 7, diesel and kerosene prices were decreased by Tk 0.75 per litre.
At present, per kilometre diesel-driven 52-seat bus fare on long- distance route will be Tk 2.12 from Tk 2.15.
The intercity bus fare will be Tk 2.42 from Tk 2.45 and minibus Tk 2.32 from Tk 2.35.
The fare of bus and minibus plying within DTCA areas of Narayanganj, Dhaka, Narsingdi, Munshiganj and Gazipur has been refixed at Tk 2.32 from Tk 2.35 per kilometre.
The minimum fare has remained the same rate of Tk 10 and Tk 8.0 for buses and minibuses on intercity routes.
The new bus fare chart will not be applicable to petrol- and octane-run buses and minibuses, according to the notification.
Although the RTHD made the bus fare adjustment, leaders in the road transport sector have requested the fare fixation committee to make the new fare chart effective after Eid-ul-Fitr on grounds that it may create a chaotic situation as bus tickets on long-distance routes have already been sold in advance.
The 10-member committee has proposed re-fixing the bus fare through reviewing only bus operational cost of diesel-run buses but not other expenses.
Transport workers' leader Osman Ali and Covered Van Owners' Association leader Mashiur Rahman Ranga were present at the meeting.
BRTA deputy director, deputy transport engineer of the DTCA, general secretary of the Bangladesh Consumers Association, chairman of the Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners Association and deputy secretary of the BRTC, among others, also attended the meeting.
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