Bus Fare Realized More than Double

Passenger transport at new fares has started since the announcement of the increase in bus and launch fares in the face of transport strikes following the hike in fuel prices.

However, the government decided to implement the new fare only on diesel-powered buses after a meeting with transport owners on Sunday (November 7). But in reality, the opposite picture has been seen.

Today, Tuesday (November 9), visiting various routes in the capital, it has been seen that diesel-powered buses, as well as CNG-powered buses, have increased fares by more than 50 percent. The fare is more than 2 taka per kilometer. Somewhere it has exceeded 4 taka. The government has increased the fares of buses and minibuses plying within Dhaka and Chittagong cities by 26.5 per cent and inter-district bus fares by 27 per cent.

It has been seen that the distance from Mirpur 12 to the airport is 12 kilometers. Buses plying this route include Poristhan, Basumati and Prajapati Poribohon. They are charging 40 taka from the passengers. In other words, the fare per kilometer is 3 taka 33 paisa. The previous fare on this route was 30 taka.

On the other hand, the distance from Mirpur 12 to Gulistan is 19 kilometers. The rent here is 35 taka. As a result, the fare per kilometer is 1 taka 84 paisa. This route used to cost 25 taka. Similarly, the distance from Mirpur 12 to New Market is 13 kilometers. The fare on this route is being increased by 10 taka to 36 taka which was 26 taka before. The fare on this route is realized 2 taka 76 paisa per kilometer.

On the other hand, the bus fare from Satkhira to Khulna was 80 taka. Now it takes 120 to 130 taka. The new rent fixed by the government was supposed to be 106 taka. But 130 taka is being taken. The bus conductors are realizing the fare as they wish.

Jubayer Mostafiz, an official of a private university who used to come and go regularly from Satkhira to Khulna, said the words with regret.

Meanwhile, Nur Uddin, a conductor at Shikor Bus in the capital, said, "We are realizing whatever the owner asks us to realize."

In this regard, the Secretary-General of the Passenger Welfare Association Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said it was necessary to address how many buses run on gas and how many run on oil before the increased bus fares came into effect. Instead, in one leap, 1 taka 42 paisa has been rented 1 taka 80 paisa. If the correct expenditure was analyzed, it could have been fixed at 1 taka 60 paisa.

According to the decision, the current long-haul bus fare has been increased from Tk 1.42 per km to Tk 1.80 per kilometer. Besides, the minimum fare for big bus has been fixed at Tk 10 and for minibus at Tk 8.

Besides, the current bus fare in the metropolitan area has been increased from Tk 1.70 per kilometer to Tk 2.15. The fare per kilometer has increased by 45 paisa. The current fare of minibus in the metropolitan area is 1 taka 60 paisa per kilometer. It has been increased to 2 taka 5 paisa per kilometer.