Aiming to minimise the losses, Bangladesh Railway is panning to raise train fare on a yearly basis.
“In order to minimise the growing losses, the railway authorities have decided to adjust the passenger fares every year, starting from the next fiscal year [2016-17],” a railway official told the Dhaka Tribune.
Expenses of Bangladesh Railway has been steadily on the rise due to increasing fuel prices as well as the maintenance costs. With the new pay scale in effect, the expenses will increase even more, sources said.
The last time train fare was revised was in June 2012 – that, too, after 20 years.
“The new tariff policy has yet to be finalised. We are working on a new system of tariff fixation that will be acceptable to every one,” said Amzad Hossain, director general of Bangladesh Railway.
However, Prof Shamsul Haque of Buet said: “Train is a mode of transport use mostly by common people. So fare hike cannot be the only option of levelling the difference between cost and income. The railway authorities should also focus on other resources to increase their income,” he said.
