Passenger Welfare Association demands reduction in bus fares!

Although the price of fuel oil has been reduced several times during the current interim government, the fares of buses and other public transport have not been reduced. In this situation, the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association has demanded a reduction in bus fares according to the number of passengers. In a joint statement sent to the media on Sunday (June 1) afternoon, the chairman of the organization's executive committee, Dr. Mohammad Zakaria, and Secretary General, Md. Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, made this demand.

The statement said that the price of fuel oil in the world market is currently on the decline and the government is reducing the price several times every month. Although the price has been reduced by 1 taka, sometimes by 3 taka, there has been no change in the determination of bus fares. As a result, the common people of the country are being deprived of the expected benefits of reducing the price of fuel oil.

The leaders said that bus fares are increased rapidly with the increase in fuel oil prices, but when the price decreases, the owners hesitate to reduce the fares on various pretexts. This has created a huge gap between the fare set by the government and the fare actually collected, which is directly affecting the general public.

The statement further said that since there is no representation of the general public in the government's bus fare determination committee, the general public is always ignorant and in the dark about this matter. Therefore, it is demanded to ensure the representation of the Passenger Welfare Association, along with the owners and workers' organizations, in the fare determination committee.

In addition, it is demanded that the complete list that is prepared when increasing or decreasing the fare should not be limited to just the owners and workers' organizations but should be handed over to all parties concerned, including the Passenger Welfare Association, so that transparency is ensured and the public can know the real information.