Route Permits to Be Cancelled for Even 1 Paisa Extra Bus Fare

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam has warned that the route permit of any transport operator could be cancelled if passengers are charged even one paisa more per kilometre than the government-approved bus fare.

The minister made the statement while responding to journalists at a press briefing at the Secretariat on Tuesday (September 22). He said transport operators found collecting fares above the officially approved rate would face fines under the law, while their route permits could also be cancelled.

Explaining the basis for the latest fare adjustment, Sheikh Rabiul Alam said existing national and international calculations suggest that a Tk 1 increase in fuel prices per litre corresponds to a one-paisa increase in bus fares per kilometre. Since fuel prices had increased by Tk 20 per litre, a 20-paisa increase in the per-kilometre fare could have been justified under that calculation.

However, after discussions with transport owners and other stakeholders, the government decided to raise fares by only 17 paisa per kilometre, according to the minister.

He stressed that transport operators would not be allowed to collect even one paisa above the newly approved rate. The authorities will conduct strict monitoring to ensure compliance with the decision.

The minister was also asked about fares for railway and waterway services. He said a meeting has been scheduled for Thursday to take a final decision on train and launch fares. He added that the government would make every effort to prevent an increase in train fares in consideration of ordinary passengers.

Earlier on Tuesday, Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, chief coordinator of the central committee of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, shared details of the revised bus fare structure following a meeting at the Road Transport Ministry.

Under the new rates, fares for long-distance buses have been set at Tk 2.40 per kilometre, while buses and minibuses operating in the Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas will charge Tk 2.70 per kilometre.

The government is expected to strengthen monitoring of public transport operators to prevent passengers from being charged fares beyond the officially approved rates.