Panchagarh Correspondent: The Road Transport and Highways Department has reduced the price of diesel by 3 rupees per liter in two phases, and the bus fare has been reduced by 3 paise per kilometer. As a result, the bus fare on the district Panchagarh route, the longest distance from Dhaka, has decreased by 13 taka 32 paisa, and the bus fare on the nearest district Munshiganj route from Dhaka has decreased by 81 paisa.
On March 31, the price of diesel was reduced by 2 taka 25 paisa per liter. On March 8, the price of diesel was reduced by 75 paise. The road transport and highways department reduced the bus fare by 3 rupees in two phases. As a result, the fare of diesel buses and minibuses plying on the Dhaka-Chittagong metropolitan route and the fare of diesel buses plying on inter-district and long-distance routes has been reduced by 3 paise per kilometer. Accordingly, the fare per kilometer on inter-district and long-distance routes has been reduced from 2 taka 15 paisa to 2 taka 12 paisa.
According to the Bangladesh Roads and Public Roads Directorate (SOAZ), the maximum distance from the zero point of Dhaka to Panchagarh is 444 km. Accordingly, the bus fare on the Dhaka-Panchgarh route will be reduced by 13 taka 32 paisa, and the distance to the nearest Munshiganj is 27 km. The fare will be reduced by only 81 paise on this route.
Apart from this, the fare on the Thakurgaon route of 408 km will be reduced by 12 taka and 24 paisa. The fare on the 388 km Cox’s Bazar route will be reduced by 11 taka 64 paisa; the fare on the Dinajpur route of 383 km will be reduced by 11 taka 49 paisa; the fare will be reduced by 10 taka 83 paisa on the 361 km Nilphamari route; and the fare on the 350 km Kurigram route will be reduced by 10 taka 50 paisa.
On the other hand, fares on the Rangpur route, which is 309 kilometers from Dhaka, will decrease by 9 taka and 27 paisa among the divisional cities; The fare on the 295 km Chittagong route will be reduced by 8 taka 85 paisa; the fare on the 271 km Khulna route will be reduced by 8 taka 13 paisa; the fare on the Rajshahi route of 258 km will be reduced by 7 taka 74 paisa; the barisal route of 249 km will reduce the fare by 7 taka 47 paisa; the fare on the 243 km Sylhet route will be reduced by 7 taka 29 paisa; and on the 121 km Mymensingh route, the fare will be reduced by 3 taka 63 paisa.
The notification issued by the Road Transport and Highways Department on Monday (April 1) said that after the reduction in diesel prices, the operating cost of diesel buses and mini buses has been reduced by three paise per kilometer. Accordingly, in the case of buses and minibuses plying on inter-district and long-distance routes, the maximum fare per passenger kilometer has been fixed at 2 taka 15 paisa instead of 2 taka 12 paisa. In the case of buses plying in Dhaka and Chittagong cities, the passenger fare per kilometer has been fixed at 2 taka 42 paisa instead of 2 taka 45 paisa. In the case of minibuses plying in Dhaka and Chittagong metropolises and buses and minibuses plying within the districts under the Dhaka Transport Coordinating Authority (DTCA) (Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi, Gazipur, Manikganj, and Dhaka districts), the fare per passenger kilometer is Tk 2.35 instead of Tk. 2.32. Determined. The minimum fares for buses and minibuses plying in Dhaka and Chittagong cities will remain at Tk 10 and Tk 8, respectively.
It is further stated that if the number of seats in buses or minibuses is rearranged by reducing the number of seats authorized by BRTA, the fare fixed as per clause a shall be re-fixed proportionately. In that case, pro rata fare approval should be obtained from the Route Permit Approving Authority (BRTA)/Passenger and Goods Transport Committee.
This fare will not be applicable to gas-powered buses or minibuses. All notifications and orders issued earlier regarding the fare fixation of diesel buses and minibuses are hereby cancelled. This fare rate must be posted in a visible place on every bus and minibus. The new fare will be effective on April 2.
