The government yesterday slashed the fare for long-haul buses by 3 paisa per kilometre, drawing criticism from different quarters for it not being enough.

Buses from May 15 will charge Tk 1.42 instead of Tk 1.45 per kilometre.

A passenger will have to pay around Tk 352 instead of around Tk 359 for travelling to Chittagong from Dhaka; around Tk 368 instead of around Tk 375 to Rajshahi; around Tk 415 instead of around Tk 423 to Khulna and around Tk 357 instead of around Tk 364 to Sylhet from Dhaka.

Almost all the long-route buses run on diesel.

The Road Transport and Bridges Ministry yesterday issued a circular in this regard.

However, passengers alleged that the revised fare would have no impact as the reduced amount is nominal.

“My bus fare will be reduced by around Tk 7 or Tk 8. Such a small cut in fare will not benefit the passengers,” said Azaduzzaman, who frequently travels on Dhaka-Khulna route.

Whenever the government increases fuel prices, bus fares are hiked by large amounts. Although the fuel price is now reduced, bus fares are not adjusted proportionately, passengers alleged.

Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, secretary general of Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association, said, “The fare cut is just eyewash and it will never be implemented because bus owners will charge passengers the previous fares making different excuses.”

Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) in a statement yesterday said the fare cut by 3 paisa was nothing but a farce.

Khandaker Enayet Ullah, secretary general of Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, claimed: “We will have to incur losses following the government decision to reduce fares.”

The government on April 25 cut fuel prices by Tk 3 to Tk 10. The price of diesel and kerosene had been reduced to Tk 65 from Tk 68 a litre, octane to Tk 89 from 99 and petrol to Tk 86 from 96.

Bus fares in Dhaka and Chittagong metropolitan areas will remain unchanged as almost all the buses in the two cities run on CNG.