Bus fares have been increased by 11 paisa per kilometer in response to the recent rise in fuel prices, announced Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam.
The announcement came on Thursday (April 23) after a meeting with transport owners and workers held at the Secretariat. The minister confirmed that the new fare will take effect immediately.
He clarified that the decision applies only to diesel-powered buses, while CNG-run buses will not see any fare increase.
According to the minister:
“Considering public interest, the government has decided to increase fares by 11 paisa per kilometer in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas.”
He also added:
“For inter-district transport, fares for 52-seat buses will also increase by 11 paisa per kilometer. Additionally, fares for DTC buses and minibuses will be adjusted by the same amount.”
Addressing the reason behind the adjustment, the minister said:
“After the international crisis, the government tried for about one and a half months to avoid increasing fuel prices. However, it was eventually raised by around Tk 15 per liter.”
He further noted:
“We are not viewing this as a fare hike, but rather as an adjustment. Since fuel prices have increased, there was a demand from the transport sector, and we have tried to coordinate accordingly after multiple rounds of discussions.”
Earlier, on April 22, the minister had stated that no final decision was made regarding transport fares during a previous meeting, but confirmed that a decision would be finalized the following day.
