Following the rise in fuel prices, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has proposed raising bus fares. The proposal calls for a 20-paisa increase per kilometre for intercity buses and an 18-paisa increase per kilometre for buses operating in urban areas, including the capital.
According to BRTA sources, the fare-hike proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges. The ministry will make the final decision on the extent of the increase. The new fares will then be implemented through an official gazette notification.
A meeting on bus fare adjustment was held at the BRTA headquarters in Banani on Monday (September 21). Leaders of transport owners’ and workers’ organisations were also present. At the meeting, a policy proposal was made to increase fares by 20 paisa per kilometre on intercity routes and 18 paisa per kilometre in urban areas.
Bus fares are generally determined by taking into account fuel prices as well as other operating costs. This time, however, it was decided to consider only the increase in fuel prices. Last Sunday, the government raised the price of diesel by Tk 20 per litre, setting it at Tk 135 per litre.
BRTA sources said that, as a general rule, a Tk 1 increase in diesel prices results in a roughly 1-paisa increase in bus fares per kilometre. Accordingly, following the Tk 20 increase in diesel prices, the BRTA has proposed a 20-paisa increase for intercity buses and an 18-paisa increase for city buses.
Transport owners have requested that the official gazette be issued as soon as possible. They fear that if the new fares are not determined promptly, owners and workers may raise fares on their own to offset the higher cost of fuel.
Currently, bus fares in the Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas are Tk 2.53 per kilometre, while the fare for minibuses is Tk 2.42 per kilometre. For 52-seat intercity buses, the fare is Tk 2.23 per kilometre.
However, the government does not determine fares for air-conditioned buses, goods vehicles and some other types of transport. In these cases, fares are set by the owners and workers.
Meanwhile, a source familiar with the matter said the proposed 18-paisa and 20-paisa increases could be reduced somewhat at the final stage. Ultimately, the new fares will be set through a gazette notification based on the decision of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges.
