TDS Desk:

The Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association has demanded a revision of bus and truck fares, citing an increase in diesel prices at the consumer level following the government’s readjustment of fuel prices in line with the global market.

On Sunday, the association proposed raising the fare for long-distance buses from Tk2.12 per kilometre to Tk4.05 per kilometre.

Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association Secretary General Md Saiful Alam said that although the government has hiked fuel prices, no gazette has yet been issued regarding fare adjustments.

As a result, he said, transport owners are incurring losses by purchasing fuel at higher prices while charging fares at previous rates.

Saiful said that bus manufacturing costs have increased significantly since 2022. At that time, the price of a bus chassis was around Tk24 lakh, which has now increased to Tk36 lakh.

Similarly, the cost of building a bus body has gone up to Tk20 lakh from Tk11 lakh, he said.

In addition, the interest rate on bank loans has risen from 9% to 13%, increasing the burden of instalment payments, he said.

Saiful said that when fuel prices were increased in 2022, the then government had adjusted bus fares.

Although transport owners demanded Tk2.80 per kilometre, the government set the fare at Tk2.12 per kilometre, he said, adding that fares have not been revised since then.