Govt increases bus fares by 11 paisa per kilometre
The minimum fares for buses and minibuses in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas will remain Tk10 and Tk8 respectively
Following a recent hike in fuel prices, the government has increased bus fares in metropolitan and long-distance routes by 11 paisa per kilometre, effective immediately.
The Road Transport and Highways Division announced the revised fares today (23 April) through a notification.
At the Secretariat, after unveiling the adjusted rates, Road Transport Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam told the media that fares would be reduced again if fuel prices decline. However, no decision has yet been made regarding fare adjustments for rail and water transport.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
According to the notification, bus fares in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas have been raised from Tk2.42 to Tk2.53 per passenger per kilometre. For inter-district and long-distance routes, fares have been revised upward from Tk2.12 to Tk2.23 per kilometre.
Meanwhile, the fare has been increased from Tk2.32 to Tk2.43 per kilometre for minibuses operating within Dhaka and Chattogram, as well as in areas under the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), including Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi, Gazipur, Manikganj, and Dhaka district.
Despite the hikes, the minimum fares remain unchanged at Tk10 for buses and Tk8 for minibuses in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas. However, the revised fares will not apply to CNG-run buses and minibuses, according to the notification.
Authorities have made it mandatory to display updated fare charts in visible locations inside all vehicles.
With the new rates, fares have risen by 4.54% in metropolitan areas, 5.19% on inter-district and long-haul routes, and 4.74% within the Dhaka transport jurisdictions.
Welcoming the government's decision, Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, secretary general of Jatri Kalyan Samity, said it did not yield to transport owners' demands.
He, however, warned that some operators might attempt to overcharge passengers by inflating route distances or bypassing designated stops to collect fares based on end destinations.
Urging the government to enforce strict monitoring, Mozammel also called for action against CNG-run buses that may charge increased fares equivalent to diesel-powered vehicles.
Transport owners, however, expressed dissatisfaction.
Mohammad Hanif Miah, owner of Hanif Paribahan, told The Business Standard that the revised fares fell short of their expectations.
"Our vehicles and spare parts are heavily import-dependent, and the depreciation of the taka against the dollar in recent years has significantly increased costs," he said. "We had expected a hike of 28 paisa per kilometre."
Hanif further warned that sustained losses could lead to a deterioration in public transport services.
In August 2022, diesel prices were increased by 42% to Tk114 per litre, prompting the government to raise bus fares by up to 40 paisa per kilometre, or about 22%.
Although diesel prices were later reduced in phases–and fares officially cut by 8 paisa per kilometre twice, transport operators did not implement the reductions, and enforcement remained weak.
Referring to this, passenger Ishtiaq Ahmed said that operators are still charging fares based on the 2022 rates set after the initial diesel price hike.
"Even though diesel prices later dropped to Tk100 per litre, fares were never reduced," he said, questioning the justification for the current increase, especially since diesel has now risen by only Tk1 per litre.
Most passenger and goods transport in the country rely on diesel. While the government does not regulate fares for freight vehicles like trucks and covered vans, it sets fares for non-AC buses and minibuses through the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority.
Earlier, on 18 April, the government increased fuel prices at the consumer level, citing rising global oil market trends.
Under the new prices, diesel now costs Tk115 per litre, octane Tk140, petrol Tk135 and kerosene Tk130.
The latest adjustment represents a sharp increase in the fuel sector as diesel was raised by Tk15 per litre, octane by Tk20, petrol by Tk19 and kerosene by Tk18.
