A government-approved 17-poisha-per-kilometre increase in bus fares has translated into hikes of Tk5 to Tk20 on many journeys across Dhaka, with passengers alleging arbitrary charges that far exceed the revised rate.
Dhaka Tribune reporters visit to Mohammadpur, Farmgate and Motijheel on Wednesday found buses already collecting higher fares, in some cases charging passengers Tk10 more for relatively short journeys.
On long-distance routes, passengers reported increases of Tk50 to Tk100.
The overcharging began soon after fuel prices rose by Tk20 per litre on Monday and, according to passengers, continued even after the government fixed the revised fares and warned operators against collecting a single poisha extra.
Under the revised rates, fares for buses in Dhaka and Chittagong have increased from Tk2.53 to Tk2.70 per passenger per kilometre, while long-distance fares have risen from Tk2.23 to Tk2.40. The Road Transport and Highways Division issued the notification on September 22.
At around 3pm on Wednesday, a Bhuiyan Paribahan bus leaving Mohammadpur's Ring Road for Abdullahpur was charging Tk50 from passengers. Calculations based on the revised rate put the fare at around Tk43, meaning passengers were paying roughly Tk7 more.
Roksana, a Mohammadpur resident whose child travels regularly to BAF Shaheen College, said the fare from Ring Road to Jahangir Gate had jumped from Tk20 to Tk30.
Two other passengers, Aklima and Poppy, said a helper demanded Tk60 for their journey from near TB Hospital to Abdullahpur, up from Tk50.
An argument followed and the two were eventually dropped off near the Passport Office.
“Madam, the fare has gone up. Besides, the owner has instructed us not to charge any less,” helper Manik said when asked about the increase.
Similar complaints emerged on the Motijheel-Uttara corridor.
Yasin Arafat, who lives in Uttara and works in Motijheel, said he had been paying increased fares since Monday.
“The fare was supposed to increase by only 17 poisha per kilometre, but no bus is following that,” he said, claiming his daily commuting cost had risen by Tk50-Tk60.
Dhaka Tribune found complaints involving several services, including BRTC, Gazipur Paribahan, Green Dhaka, Probhati Banasree, Prochesta, Skyline, Victor Classic and Shatabdi Paribahan.
The situation was similar at inter-district terminals.
At Gabtoli, Mobarak Molla, travelling towards Pabna, said the fare on Selfie Paribahan from Gabtoli to Aricha had risen from Tk150 to Tk250.
Passengers at Sayedabad also complained of increases of up to Tk50 on buses heading towards Khulna, Barishal, Shariatpur and Madaripur, while some Chattogram-bound passengers reported increases of as much as Tk100.
The complaints come despite an explicit government warning.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said on Tuesday that operators charging above the government-fixed fare would face fines and could lose their route permits.
The government settled on a 17-poisha increase after transport owners sought 20 poisha per kilometre.
Owners admit enforcement challenge
Md Sirajul Islam, president of the Mohakhali Bus Terminal Road Transport Owners' Association, described the revised fares as reasonable and said long-distance operators would be instructed to follow the government rates.
He acknowledged, however, that controlling fare collection on local buses would be more difficult.
Sirajul called for stronger government monitoring and mandatory display of fare charts inside buses to reduce disputes.
The Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association, meanwhile, questioned the process through which the fares were revised.
Its Secretary General Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury alleged that passenger representatives were not adequately considered and said the association had proposed smaller increases of eight poisha per kilometre for long-distance buses and 10 poisha for city services.
For passengers, however, the dispute over calculations is already playing out on the streets.
Diesel now costs Tk135 per litre, up from Tk115, after the government raised diesel, petrol, octane and kerosene prices by Tk20 per litre effective Monday.
The official response was a 17-poisha increase in bus fares.
On many routes, passengers say they are already paying far more.