BRTA decision Sunday on bus fare hike

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) will decide Sunday on increasing fares of public transports following the rise in fuel prices.

"A committee, consists of members from different public and private bodies, will hold a meeting on Sunday to decide on fare hike," BRTA Spokesperson and Director Mahbub-E-Rabbani told The Business Standard. 

In response to the strike called by transport owners, Mahbub-E-Rabbani said, "The strike was announced suddenly; the government should have given time." 

However, many passengers in the capital today complained that buses are charging extra fares citing fuel price hike.

Meanwhile, the public and goods transport owners of the country called for a nationwide strike, starting Friday morning, in protest against the latest price hike of diesel and kerosene.

Earlier on Wednesday, the government increased the prices of diesel and kerosene by Tk15 per litre due to the continuing rally of fuel prices in the global market. Customers are paying Tk80 for per litre of diesel or kerosene from today.

The sudden increase in fuel oil prices is likely to push up the prices of daily essentials and cost of living significantly because the agriculture and transportation sectors are largely dependent on diesel.