Bus, truck owners flout order on fare cut
Saturday, 1 November 2008
FE Report
The fares of diesel-run buses and trucks have remained the same despite the fact that the government has lowered the prices of fuel oils against the backdrop of substantial fall in petroleum prices in the international market.
The government on October 27 brought down the prices of fuel oil by 11.73 per cent.
The government directed all bus operators to reduce bus fares by Tk 0.07 for each kilometre from the fare earlier fixed at Tk 1.05. The fares for mini buses were re-set at Tk 1.01 for each kilometre against Tk 1.08 earlier.
While visiting bus stands at Sayedabad, it has been found that they (bus counters) have been charging fares at previous rates for different routes. The passengers were found quarrelling with bus employees over the issue.
Even, government-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) did not reduce bus fares in the city and inter district routes.
GM Seraj, president of the Bangladesh Bus-Track Owners' Association, told the FE that they had already implemented the government's new fare list.
Passengers have alleged that the bus employees are demanding and taking fares at previous rates flouting the government order.
GM Seraj told the FE that there would be little impact of the fare cut on the passengers.
Shajahan Khan, a senior leader of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Malik Sramik Oikya Parishad, told the FE that they were yet to implement the new fares.
Contradicting GM Seraj, he told the FE that no bus was displaying the fare list.
"There is no plan right at this moment to adjust bus and truck fares abiding by the government directive," Shajahan Khan added.
The fares of diesel-run buses and trucks have remained the same despite the fact that the government has lowered the prices of fuel oils against the backdrop of substantial fall in petroleum prices in the international market.
The government on October 27 brought down the prices of fuel oil by 11.73 per cent.
The government directed all bus operators to reduce bus fares by Tk 0.07 for each kilometre from the fare earlier fixed at Tk 1.05. The fares for mini buses were re-set at Tk 1.01 for each kilometre against Tk 1.08 earlier.
While visiting bus stands at Sayedabad, it has been found that they (bus counters) have been charging fares at previous rates for different routes. The passengers were found quarrelling with bus employees over the issue.
Even, government-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) did not reduce bus fares in the city and inter district routes.
GM Seraj, president of the Bangladesh Bus-Track Owners' Association, told the FE that they had already implemented the government's new fare list.
Passengers have alleged that the bus employees are demanding and taking fares at previous rates flouting the government order.
GM Seraj told the FE that there would be little impact of the fare cut on the passengers.
Shajahan Khan, a senior leader of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Malik Sramik Oikya Parishad, told the FE that they were yet to implement the new fares.
Contradicting GM Seraj, he told the FE that no bus was displaying the fare list.
"There is no plan right at this moment to adjust bus and truck fares abiding by the government directive," Shajahan Khan added.