Long route bus fare reduced

It has become a common practice in Bangladesh that with the slightest hint of price hike in the international market we see disproportionate, abnormal and immediate increase in local prices of imported goods. But when price falls in the global market, logical adjustment in local prices hardly follows. In the case of fuel this trend has become more pronounced. It took the government almost two years to cut down the price of fuel, though it is nominal and inconsistent with the global price glut. 

We are yet to see any visible effect of this change in fuel prices in public life. The reduced fair in public transports, that too on inter district routes only, has come into effect only on May 15. But there are allegations that many bus operators are charging previous fares. The passenger welfare committee made this claim after monitoring bus fares on 55 routes in Dhaka and Chittagong. And the reduction in fares is very paltry as to have made the reduction only notional. A leading transport service provider has claimed that it did not get the revised fare chart as yet. It clearly shows lack of coordination in implementing the government decision. 

We urge the government to reconsider the amount of reduction in fare. It should reflect the change in the global fuel price. The authorities should also implement the revised fair chart without further delay.