BRTA proposes Tk 0.2 fare hike for long-distance hauls

The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) plans to propose raising bus fares by Tk 0.2 per kilometre for long-distance buses and Tk 0.18 per kilometre for city buses following a Tk 20 per litre increase in fuel prices.

The proposal will be sent to the Ministry of Commerce, with the government set to decide after further discussions at the Secretariat.

A meeting on the fare adjustment was held at the BRTA office on Monday, attended by BRTA officials and leaders of the Road Transport Owners Association and the Bus Owners Association, after which an attendee shared details of the fare hike to be proposed.

Speaking after the meeting, Road Transport Owners Association General Secretary ASM Ahmed Khokon said operators had been instructed not to charge passengers extra until the government approves a fare increase.

He told bdnews24.com, “We had previously met and proposed an increase of one paisa [Tk 0.01] per taka.

“Based on that, the rate per kilometre in the Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas would rise by two or three paisa [Tk 0.02-0.03] from the current Tk 2.53.”

For long-distance and inter-district buses, he said, the rate would rise by around two poisha from the current Tk 2.23 per kilometre.

Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association General Secretary Saiful Alam said transport owners had initially sought a comprehensive restructuring of fares.

“The prices of everything have gone up. We had suggested a comprehensive restructuring or recalculation. However, the government decided to make a limited adjustment specifically for fuel costs,” he said.

The government raised the prices of four types of fuel by Tk 20 per litre from midnight on Sunday. Under the new rates, diesel costs Tk 135 per litre, kerosene Tk 155, octane Tk 165 and petrol Tk 160.