Truck fares rise sharply
Jasim Uddin Haroon | Monday, 7 July 2008
The fares of different modes of transports, especially those which carry goods, rose sharply following price hike of fuel oil threatening to destabilise the price of consumer items further, market operators told the FE Sunday.
The average truck fares on different routes rose by 30 per cent, covered van by 40 per cent, trailers or prime movers by 20 per cent and engine boats by 33 per cent after fuel prices were enhanced.
President of Moulvibazar Paikari Bazar Somity, Abdur Razzak, said that the increase in the truck fares will lead to further price hike of consumer items.
"Tell me, if there is an increase of Tk 1500-Tk 2000 for a trip, how will we adjust it. Definitely, I will add it to the selling price of the commodities," he added.
"The price hike of diesel forced us to charge additional costs. Otherwise, we will not be able to survive in the trade," said Mohammed Naim, president of Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Malik Somity.
Currently, the one-way truck fares on important routes are: Dhaka - Chittagong Tk 5500, Dhaka-Sylhet Tk 7500, Dhaka-Jessore Tk 8500, Dhaka-Rajshahi Tk 7000, Dhaka-Dinajpur Tk 8500 and Dhaka - Bogra Tk 7000.
"We charge between Tk 8500 and Tk 9000 for a trip from Dhaka to Jessore. We negotiate with the parties before fixing the fare. There is no government rate," said Nurul Islam, a senior transport leader at city's Doyaganj.
The fares of covered van, widely used for transporting ready-made garments, rose by about Tk 4000 on an average for a single trip.
Currently, the one-way fares on Dhaka-Chittagong route ranges between Tk 13000 and Tk 14000, previously it was Tk 9000 and Tk 10,000.
Syed Hafizuddin Pappu, managing director of Container Mover, a leading trailer service, told the FE that different operators are taking different rates after price rise of fuel oil last week.
"There is no fixed rate. The trailers mostly ply between Dhaka and Chittagong. We heard that it is now Tk 24000, up by Tk 4000," Mr Hafiz added.
Owner of Shanewaz Paribahan said that the fares between Dhaka and Chittagong vary widely each day.
"I think the fundamental rules of economics best applies in the Dhaka-Chittagong trip. If demand is high, then the fare goes up and vice versa," he added.
The fares of engine run boat also rose significantly as they are charging additional Tk 2.0 for each sack-load between Dhaka and its nearby areas.
Abul Kalam, a boatman at Swari Ghat told the FE that boatmen have been taking extra Tk 2.0 for each sack after rise in the prices of diesel.
The government Monday last enhanced the prices of diesel and kerosene by around 38 per cent to compensate for the overheated international oil market.
The average truck fares on different routes rose by 30 per cent, covered van by 40 per cent, trailers or prime movers by 20 per cent and engine boats by 33 per cent after fuel prices were enhanced.
President of Moulvibazar Paikari Bazar Somity, Abdur Razzak, said that the increase in the truck fares will lead to further price hike of consumer items.
"Tell me, if there is an increase of Tk 1500-Tk 2000 for a trip, how will we adjust it. Definitely, I will add it to the selling price of the commodities," he added.
"The price hike of diesel forced us to charge additional costs. Otherwise, we will not be able to survive in the trade," said Mohammed Naim, president of Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Malik Somity.
Currently, the one-way truck fares on important routes are: Dhaka - Chittagong Tk 5500, Dhaka-Sylhet Tk 7500, Dhaka-Jessore Tk 8500, Dhaka-Rajshahi Tk 7000, Dhaka-Dinajpur Tk 8500 and Dhaka - Bogra Tk 7000.
"We charge between Tk 8500 and Tk 9000 for a trip from Dhaka to Jessore. We negotiate with the parties before fixing the fare. There is no government rate," said Nurul Islam, a senior transport leader at city's Doyaganj.
The fares of covered van, widely used for transporting ready-made garments, rose by about Tk 4000 on an average for a single trip.
Currently, the one-way fares on Dhaka-Chittagong route ranges between Tk 13000 and Tk 14000, previously it was Tk 9000 and Tk 10,000.
Syed Hafizuddin Pappu, managing director of Container Mover, a leading trailer service, told the FE that different operators are taking different rates after price rise of fuel oil last week.
"There is no fixed rate. The trailers mostly ply between Dhaka and Chittagong. We heard that it is now Tk 24000, up by Tk 4000," Mr Hafiz added.
Owner of Shanewaz Paribahan said that the fares between Dhaka and Chittagong vary widely each day.
"I think the fundamental rules of economics best applies in the Dhaka-Chittagong trip. If demand is high, then the fare goes up and vice versa," he added.
The fares of engine run boat also rose significantly as they are charging additional Tk 2.0 for each sack-load between Dhaka and its nearby areas.
Abul Kalam, a boatman at Swari Ghat told the FE that boatmen have been taking extra Tk 2.0 for each sack after rise in the prices of diesel.
The government Monday last enhanced the prices of diesel and kerosene by around 38 per cent to compensate for the overheated international oil market.