City bus fares rise to Tk2.70/km, long-route fares to Tk2.40 after fuel price hike

City bus fares have been raised to Tk2.70 per kilometre, while fares for inter-district and long-distance buses and minibuses have been increased to Tk2.40 per kilometre following the recent fuel price hike.

The Road Transport and Highways Division under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges issued a gazette notification today (23 September), raising bus and minibus fares by 17 poisha per kilometre.

According to the notification, signed by Assistant Secretary Jasim Uddin, fares for buses operating in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas have been increased from Tk2.53 to Tk2.70 per passenger per kilometre.

Fares for inter-district and long-distance buses and minibuses have risen from Tk2.23 to Tk2.40 per passenger per kilometre.

Meanwhile, fares for minibuses operating in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas, as well as buses and minibuses operating within the districts under the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), including Dhaka, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi, Gazipur and Manikganj, have increased from Tk2.43 to Tk2.60 per passenger per kilometre.

The minimum fares for buses and minibuses in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas have been set at Tk10 and Tk8 respectively.

The notification said that if the number of BRTA-approved seats in a bus or minibus is reduced and the seating arrangement is changed to provide more comfortable travel, the prescribed fare must be revised proportionately.

The revised fare in such cases must be approved by the route permit approving authority, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) or Passenger and Goods Transport Committee.

However, the revised fares will not apply to gas-run buses or minibuses.

The notification also instructed that fare rates must be displayed prominently in every bus and minibus.

The revised fares came into effect yesterday (22 September).