Public transport services in Chittagong have declined following the government’s fuel price hike, leaving commuters facing longer waits, overcrowded vehicles and allegations of higher fares.
Since on Monday morning, large crowds of passengers have gathered at major intersections and bus stops as fewer buses and human haulers operated on some routes. When vehicles arrived, passengers rushed to board, with many unable to get on as buses and human haulers were already packed.
At around 9am, passengers at Muradpur said they had been waiting for extended periods to reach their destinations. “I have been waiting for about 30 minutes to go to Agrabad. The number of public transport vehicles has dropped, and the ones arriving are overcrowded,” passenger Nurul Islam said.
Another passenger, Md Musa, alleged that some operators were charging higher fares, citing the fuel price increase.
The Muradpur-Kotwali route appeared particularly affected, with few public transport options available. Passengers alleged that many maxis were carrying passengers only as far as Chawkbazar, forcing commuters to change vehicles to reach Kotwali. This has increased both travel time and transport costs.
Shahidul Islam, joint secretary of the Chittagong Metropolitan Transport Owners’ Association, said the fuel price hike would inevitably affect public transport operations. “However, there is no justification for charging passengers extra fares now. No instruction has been issued to increase fares. If such an instruction comes, fares will be revised accordingly,” he said.
He said some vehicle owners may have kept their vehicles off the roads due to higher operating costs, despite instructions to keep all vehicles running.
According to the association, 1,300 buses operate on 18 routes in the city, while 1,800-1,900 human haulers operate on 22 routes.
The government announced a Tk20-per-litre increase in diesel, octane and petrol prices on Sunday night. The new prices took effect at midnight. Diesel, widely used by buses and other public transport vehicles, rose from Tk115 to Tk135 per litre.
