Shipping, Railways, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam has said there is no shortage of fuel in the country ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr and that the government has no plan to increase fuel prices.
He also claimed that in the past seven days there has been no instance of transport operators charging fares higher than the government-approved rates.
According to him, many bus operators are even charging less than the fixed fares to attract passengers.
The minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after visiting the Mohakhali Bus Terminal in the capital and inaugurating a new restroom facility for women on Monday.
“There is no fuel shortage in the country. Adequate supply has been ensured at all fuel pumps,” he said.
“Fuel has been supplied to all pumps since last night. Therefore, there is no question of increasing the price,” he added.
Rabiul Alam also said that recent discussions and rumors regarding fuel supply shortages have no factual basis. The government is closely monitoring the situation and has taken necessary steps to maintain a stable fuel supply in the transport sector.
No scope for charging extra fares
Warning transport operators against charging extra fares during the Eid travel rush, the minister said there is no opportunity to charge more than the government-fixed rates.
“If any such complaint arises, immediate action will be taken,” he said.
According to the minister, authorities have not received any evidence of overcharging in the past week.
“In fact, many transport owners are charging less than the government-fixed fare. For example, if the official fare is Tk700, some operators are charging Tk600 to attract passengers, while others are charging Tk680,” he said.
He emphasized that there is no scope to charge even a single taka above the approved fare.
Mobile courts, vigilance teams, and police control rooms are operating to monitor the situation, he said, adding that any passenger complaint would be addressed immediately.
Preparations for safe Eid travel
The minister said the government has taken maximum preparations to ensure safe and smooth travel during the upcoming Eid holidays.
Law enforcement agencies, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), district administrations, and transport owners’ and workers’ associations are working in coordination to maintain smooth passenger movement across the country, he said.
“No unfit vehicles will be allowed to operate on the roads. Immediate action will be taken if such vehicles are found,” Robiul Alam added.
He also said special traffic management measures have been introduced on highways to reduce congestion during the Eid travel period. Alongside police and highway police, volunteers will also assist in managing traffic on key routes.
Bus parking pressure at Mohakhali terminal
The minister also acknowledged the parking pressure at the Mohakhali Bus Terminal.
He said the sudden surge in passengers ahead of Eid has resulted in more buses gathering at the terminal than its capacity.
“The number of buses present here and the number of passengers expected to depart from this terminal make it impossible to accommodate all buses at once,” he said.
“As a result, buses are entering the terminal sequentially—one bus enters as another departs,” he added.
Admitting that the situation has caused some inconvenience, the minister said authorities are trying to manage the issue while ensuring normal traffic movement on surrounding roads.
“We hope to improve the situation within the next two to three days,” he said.
New facility for passengers
During the visit, the minister inaugurated a modern restroom facility for women at the Mohakhali Bus Terminal.
He said the government is gradually implementing infrastructure development initiatives to improve passenger services at bus terminals across the country.
State Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Habibur Rashid Habib, Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association Secretary General Saiful Alam, and other officials were also present during the visit.