Govt wants to re-fix fares after further discussion, CNG price hike
The government yesterday decided not to increase transport fares right now although transport owners have been pushing for a hike following the fuel price hike Thursday night.
The fares will be increased, likely next month, after another round of fuel and CNG price hike, said a communications ministry official.
However, the government compensated the owners by assuring them of meeting some of their demands, including reduction of import taxes on tyres, tubes and small vehicle parts from 25 to 12 percent, setting up of a bus terminal in Phulbaria of the capital and declaring the transport sector as an industry.
A meeting of communications ministry officials and leaders of different transport owners and workers’ associations and consumer association at the ministry office decided that the costing evaluation committee, headed by the chairman of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), would soon adjust the transport fares.
“Everyone is happy with the outcome of the meeting, which largely discussed the possible adverse reactions of passengers if transport fares are increased once again,” said the ministry official, adding that the BRTA had tabled a draft list of increased fares, which the communications ministry rejected as the rates in the proposal were very high.
A bus owner, who attended the meeting, said, “Two ministers [the shipping minister and the communications minister] urged us not to increase bus fares right away. But we will have to bear losses if we maintain the previous rates. So, if the government does not increase transport fares soon we will be forced to suspend our operations.”
Emerging from the meeting, Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain said the costing evaluation committee would soon convene to re-fix transport fares after assessing the fuel price along with existing realities.
“We will keep passengers’ welfare in mind while readjusting the fares. No additional fares will be charged until the committee fixes it,” he told reporters, adding that everyone at the meeting agreed on this point.
When informed that many transport owners had already begun charging extra fares, Khandaker Enayetullah, secretary general of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Samity, said transport owners have been requested not to take extra money from commuters till the fares are readjusted.
“We have not proposed any new rate. It will be difficult for us to keep buses on the roads if the new fares are not consistent with the fuel price hike and other relevant issues,” he told The Daily Star.
According to BRTA records till June 2011, a total of 75,196 registered buses and minibuses ply across the country, which largely contradicts Khandaker Enayetullah’s statistics about the country’s having around 1.5 lakh buses and minibuses.
Chaos descended on the transport sector when the government re-fixed transport fares following an increase in fuel oils and compressed natural gas (CNG) prices in September. Although the communications ministry re-adjusted the fares, many transport operators have been charging fares at will.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
