Luxury bus fares increase by up to Tk1,400 ahead of Eid

Saidur Rahman went to the SR Paribahan counter to book three business-class bus tickets to Rangpur but was shocked to hear that the price per ticket had risen to Tk2,400.

"Earlier, the fare for a business-class ticket was Tk1,500. But now, they are charging Tk2,400 per ticket for travel on 25 March," said Saidur Rahman.

"I will check other counters as well. If I find tickets at a lower price, I will purchase them. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to pay the inflated fare," he added,

This fare hike is not limited to SR Paribahan. Prices have increased by Tk400-Tk1,400 across all luxury bus segments, including normal AC, business-class, and sleeper buses operated by various transport companies. However, fares for non-AC buses remain unchanged.

Acknowledging the fare increase, SR Paribahan's Counter Manager Md Amin Nabi explained, ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, we have to raise fares for luxury buses. However, non-AC bus fares remain the same.

He said, "Depending on the route, we have increased fares by Tk600 to Tk900. This is necessary because buses are returning empty at this moment. Operating luxury buses involves high fuel and management costs, so we have no choice but to raise fares slightly.

"This decision aligns with the transport owners' association's guidelines."

Nabi further said, "We provide the most luxurious buses, with each bus costing nearly Tk3 crore. This is why our ticket prices are higher. Smaller companies use lower-quality AC buses, which allows them to charge less."

Staff from other transport companies operating luxury buses echoed similar sentiments.

Md Touhid, counter manager of Desh Travel, said, "We use high-end Hyundai buses, which is why we've had to increase ticket prices. We've raised fares by only Tk400 for all routes in our luxury segment."

"Larger transport companies have not increased fares significantly because they are committed to their passengers. However, some newer or smaller companies with only 5 to 10 buses in their fleet are charging much higher fares," he added.

This claim was verified upon visiting counters of lesser-known transport companies.

For example, Rangdanu Paribahan, which operates buses to Rangpur, has increased fares by Tk900 to Tk1,400 per ticket, depending on the service. Currently, their AC economy class fare is Tk1,100, business class is Tk1,200, and sleeper coach fare is Tk1,600.

However, from 25 March, these fares will rise to Tk2,000, Tk2,500, and Tk3,000, respectively.

When approached for comment, the counter manager of Rangdanu Paribahan declined to talk about the fare hike.

Meanwhile, although non-AC bus fares have not increased, transport companies going to charge passengers for the entire route, regardless of where they get off.

Monirul Islam, counter master of Hanif Paribahan, said, "While we've increased fares for our luxury buses by Tk400 to Tk700, depending on the route, non-AC bus fares remain unchanged in line with government rates. However, from 25 March, passengers will be charged for the entire route, even if they get off before the final stop."

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners Association has expressed its limitations in controlling fare hikes for luxury buses but has vowed to take action if necessary.

Ramesh Chandra Ghosh, president of the association, said, "Fares for luxury buses are not regulated by the association or the government. They are determined by bus owners based on the quality of the bus and the services provided."

"The number of luxury buses is relatively small, and they are not used by the majority of passengers. Therefore, we are not focusing heavily on this segment. However, we are strict about ensuring that no company overcharges for non-AC or regular buses, which are used by all kinds of passengers. We will monitor this issue closely," he added.