Suffering of passengers continue
Two rounds of fuel price reduction have no impact on fares
Staff Correspondent
Latest round of reduction of fuel price especially diesel, did not have any impact on diesel run modes of vehicles including passenger buses in the city as well as across the country as bus owners were charging high fare from the passengers like previous days.
Although the immediate-past caretaker government had reduced the diesel price by 4.3 per cent in December 22 while the Awami League-led grand alliance new government reduced the price by 4.3 per cent on Monday further but the diesel run vehicles are still charging previous fare from the passengers. As a result yesterday passengers and conductors locked in serious altercations over fare at all most all routes in the city.
“When the owners of bus and coach hear that the government is going to increase the fuel price, instantly they increase the fare before these come into effect officially, when the government reduces the price of fuel, owners of bus and coaches don’t follow the government order. On the other hand, government doesn’t take any initiative to prevent bus or coach employees from charging excess fare. So we common people have to always face difficulties in leading our life everywhere,” Sultan Ahmed, a middle-aged passenger, told this correspondent at Shahbagh crossing on Tuesday.
Ali Miah, a bus conductor, who was charging high fare from the passengers, said that they had not received any instruction from the bus owners regarding reduction of bus fare.
“Brother! Please don’t make any indecent remark about me. I am a very petty person. I have been employed in this city service to collect fare from the passengers on the basis of contract. As per the instruction by the owner of the bus I am collecting fare,” he said. As soon as he ended his talk, a group of angry passenger swooped on him and started beating him indiscriminately.
The two times reduction of fuel price within a month had brought a sigh of relief from the people but seeing no change of bus fare, frustration again has started gripping them.
As soon as the government’s decision on price reduction of diesel spread in the city as well across the country on Monday, the diesel run buses and other transports including taxicabs, cars rushed to filling stations for getting diesel at cheaper rate. However, government is yet to fix the fare of diesel operated transport yesterday.
On the other hand, passengers sufferings are continuing as drivers of CNG operated three-wheeler auto rickshaws, buses and taxicabs are charging excessive fares from the commuters. While this correspondent visited different parts of the capital, he observed that the CNG run vehicles especially the three-wheelers were charging high fares from the passengers and they refused to move their vehicles as per the meter rates.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
