After increasing energy prices late last month, the government has now hiked fares of CNG-run buses, minibuses and auto-rickshaws operating in Dhaka city, and five nearby districts, as well as Chittagong city.
The revised bus and minibus fares will come into effect from October 1 while auto-rickshaw fares will go up from November 1.
The Dhaka Tribune has, however, found that passengers have been charged extra fares for nearly a week due to a lack of monitoring by officials.
Bus passengers, according to the latest fares, will be charged Tk1.70 for each kilometre of travel instead of the existing Tk1.60 while minibus fares have been raised to Tk1.60 per kilometre from the existing Tk1.50.
Auto-rickshaw fares have also been increased amid continued allegations by passengers that drivers prefer negotiating fares to charging according to the meter.
Auto-rickshaw passengers will be paying Tk40 for the first two kilometres of travel, up from the existing Tk25, and Tk12 for the following kilometres each, which is currently set at Tk7.64.
Passengers will also be charged Tk2 per minute for travel intermissions instead of the existing Tk1.40.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader unveiled the new fares at a press conference at the Secretariat yesterday.
He said the decision to increase CNG-run transport fares was made in view of the latest gas price hike. “The hike in fares came after we examined recommendations made by the public transport fare coordination panel.”
Obaidul said the minimum fare for buses and minibuses would remain the same.
At present, Tk7 and Tk5 are minimum fares for travelling by bus and minibus respectively.
The minister said the new bus and minibus fares would apply, in addition to Dhaka and Chittagong cities, in Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Gazipur, Manikganj and Narsingdi, adding that long-haul bus fares had not been increased.
He said: “Presently, auto-rickshaw drivers give a daily deposit of Tk600 to the owners but this amount has been raised to Tk900. The association of auto-rickshaw owners has long been demanding that the daily deposit amount be set at Tk850.
“The new auto-rickshaw fares will be effective from November 1 to allow drivers to fix their trip meters by then.”
Obaidul said a high-powered committee headed by the director (administration) of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) had also been formed to monitor possible anomalies, such as passengers being charged extra, in Dhaka and Chittagong cities.
“Passengers after November 1 must complain to police and the committee if they are charged extra or if they spot any auto-rickshaw with its trip meter out of order.”
The minister asked the Regional Transport Committee to direct drivers of CNG-run vehicles in Dhaka and Chittagong cities to display the new fares in a chart inside their vehicles.
On Wednesday, the public transport fare coordination panel put forward its recommendations to the Road Transport and Highways Division, proposing that passengers of CNG-run buses should be charged Tk1.89 for each kilometre instead of the existing Tk1.60.
BRTA sources said the panel also proposed that minibus fares should be raised to Tk1.75 per kilometre, a 25 paisa hike from the existing Tk1.50.
Meanwhile, Jatri Kalyan Samity, an organisation for the welfare of commuters, yesterday demonstrated in front of the National Press Club in the capital, demanding revocation of the revised fares. It alleged that the public transport fare coordination panel was formed without their representatives.
