BRTA sits with bus owners today to discuss fare hike issue

Munima Sultana Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) sits with the representatives of bus owners today (Sunday) to discuss the issue of bus fare hike following the announcement of fuel price increase on Thursday night. Officials said the BRTA costing committee will sit informally with the representatives of bus owners to find out the justification of their demand for bus fare hike after reviewing various related issues. The bus owners demanded adjustment of the bus fares soon after the government announced to increase price of all kinds of fuel oils including furnace oil, diesel, petrol and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by Tk 5.0 on Thursday late night. The officials said the committee will review bus operational cost as the authority concerned recently reduced import duty on tyre and will finally take the decision on the bus fares. "We have already asked the bus owners to adjust bus operational cost with the higher benefit they are enjoying from the import of tyres. The government has reduced import duty on tyres to 12 per cent from 25 per cent," said a BRTA official. He said the communications minister also highlighted the issue of tyre price to the representatives of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Malik-Sramik Oikya Parishad (BSPMSOP) during the Thursday's meeting adding that the committee will again discuss the issue today (Sunday). However, Khandaker Eneyetullah, secretary general of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Malik Samity (BSPMS), said increase in the bus fare has become necessary to adjust fares with the long route buses. He claimed that inter-district buses have already been taking fares lower than the rate the government announced last time. The general secretary also told the FE that they did not give any new bus fare chart this time.