Jatri Kalyan Samity warns of strict protest over arbitrary bus, launch fare hike

The Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity has warned of launching a strict protest if bus and launch owners' associations arbitrarily raise fares in violation of international consumer rights laws.

In a statement issued today (22 April), the organisation's Secretary General, Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, issued the warning.

In the statement, Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury said that in August 2022, the price of diesel was increased by Tk34 in a single move to Tk114 per litre, prompting a rise in bus fares by 40 paisa per kilometre, or 22%, and launch fares by 32%.

As the diesel price was subsequently reduced in phases to Tk100 per litre, the government decreased bus fares by 8 paisa in three phases and similarly adjusted launch fares on paper, the statement added.

"However, passengers did not receive the benefit of these reduced fares in either buses or launches. The government did not carry out effective monitoring to ensure that passengers received the benefit of the reduced fares," Mozammel alleged.

He further said that the diesel price has now been increased by Tk15 per litre to Tk115, and despite an effective increase of only Tk1 compared to the previous higher rate, bus owners are seeking to raise fares by 64% and launch fares by 42%.

He alleged that, as the Jatri Kalyan Samity has repeatedly presented detailed and logical data on such issues, bus and launch owners' associations are attempting to increase fares unilaterally, excluding the Samity, like an authoritarian government.

He also alleged that some government officials, benefiting temporarily, are pushing to approve such irrational fare adjustments under the guise of fare rationalisation.

Mozammel further said that government officials are disregarding the interests of passengers while being eager to approve fare increases for bus and launch owners.