Publish : 13 Jan 2022, 06:45 PMUpdate : 13 Jan 2022, 06:45 PM
Bus owners in Chittagong on Thursday demanded a 60% hike in fare to run buses at their half capacities as per the government’s instruction to fight off Covid.
“If we have to operate buses by keeping 50% seats empty, we want the fare raised by 60% like the previous time,” said Belayet Hossain, general secretary of Chittagong Metropolitan Bus Owners Group.
The bus owners would sit together on Saturday to determine the next course of action, he said.
On Wednesday, the BRTA declared that buses would operate at half of their capacities from Saturday and at the previous fare.
The decision was taken at a meeting with the leaders of transport owners and workers.
Monjurul Alam Monju, general secretary of Chittagong Road Transport Owners Group, said: “Although the owners incurred losses, they carried at 50% capacity with 60% increased fare during the lockdown following the government’s instruction.”
Meanwhile, the leaders of transport owners and workers demanded that the government allow them to operate buses at their full capacities by maintaining proper health protocols as flights are allowed to operate at 100% of their capacities.
The buses would not carry passengers beyond the number of seats in a bus, they said.
On Monday, the government-imposed restrictions on public movement and other activities like operating public transport at their half capacities amid the growing concern over the new Omicron variant of Coronavirus.
On November 3, the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosene by Tk15 per litre, prompting the transporters to enforce an indefinite strike in the country on November 7 demanding a hike in bus fares.
Amid the worsening public woes caused by the transport strike, the BRTA raised the bus fares of intra-city and inter-district buses by 26.5% and 27%, respectively.
Chittagong bus owners demand 60% fare hike
BRTA to sit with bus owners on Saturday
Bus owners in Chittagong on Thursday demanded a 60% hike in fare to run buses at their half capacities as per the government’s instruction to fight off Covid.
“If we have to operate buses by keeping 50% seats empty, we want the fare raised by 60% like the previous time,” said Belayet Hossain, general secretary of Chittagong Metropolitan Bus Owners Group.
The bus owners would sit together on Saturday to determine the next course of action, he said.
On Wednesday, the BRTA declared that buses would operate at half of their capacities from Saturday and at the previous fare.
The decision was taken at a meeting with the leaders of transport owners and workers.
Monjurul Alam Monju, general secretary of Chittagong Road Transport Owners Group, said: “Although the owners incurred losses, they carried at 50% capacity with 60% increased fare during the lockdown following the government’s instruction.”
Meanwhile, the leaders of transport owners and workers demanded that the government allow them to operate buses at their full capacities by maintaining proper health protocols as flights are allowed to operate at 100% of their capacities.
The buses would not carry passengers beyond the number of seats in a bus, they said.
On Monday, the government-imposed restrictions on public movement and other activities like operating public transport at their half capacities amid the growing concern over the new Omicron variant of Coronavirus.
On November 3, the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosene by Tk15 per litre, prompting the transporters to enforce an indefinite strike in the country on November 7 demanding a hike in bus fares.
Amid the worsening public woes caused by the transport strike, the BRTA raised the bus fares of intra-city and inter-district buses by 26.5% and 27%, respectively.
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