After the government met their demand, Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association on Sunday called off the indefinite transport strike it enforced on Friday in protest against the fuel price hike and demanding increased bus fares.
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has increased the fares for intra-city and inter-district buses by 26.5% and 27% respectively following the demand of the bus owners.
The decision came at a meeting between the BRTA and the bus owners today (Sunday).
Khandaker Enayet Ullah, secretary general of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, said the strike was called off today. “We’ve also instructed the owners to operate the bus from today.”
From now on, the fare for inter-district buses will be Tk 1.8 per km with a 27% hike which was Tk 1.42 per km. The fare for intra-city buses would be Tk 2.15 per km – an increase from Tk1.70 — with a 26.5% hike. The minimum fare would be Tk 10 for buses and Tk 8 for minibuses.
BRTA Chairman Nur Mohammad Majumdar said, “The notification will be issued after sending the proposal to the ministry today. These new fares will be effective from tomorrow (Monday).”
On Thursday, bus, truck and covered van owners called an indefinite nationwide strike from Friday in protest against fuel price hike.
Convenor of Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van, Tank Lorry and Prime Movers Owners and Workers Coordination Council Md Rustom Ali announced their decision on Thursday following an emergency meeting of the organization.
Leaders of the organization said the government raised the toll of Bangabandhu Bridge and Muktarpur Bridge from 257 per cent to 300 per cent “illogically” on November 2 and then it raised the prices of fuel, said a press release.
Transport movement had remained suspended for a long time due to Covid in the last two years. When the transport owners are trying to make a turnaround from their huge losses caused by Covid shutdown, the decision of raising bridge toll and fuel price was announced, they added.
Source: United News of Bangladesh