Previous bus fare to be reinstated on September 1: Quader

The government is going to reinstate the previous bus fare from September 1, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said today.

"The decision has been taken to reinstate previous fare of public transport from September 1, considering overall situation and public interest. Stakeholders have to follow some conditions," the minister said.

His ministry will give necessary directives in this regard, he said while talking to the officials of Roads and Highways Department's Dhaka zone through video conference from his official residence.

"None would be allowed to carry passengers beyond seat capacity. 'As many seats, as many passenger' policy would be implemented. No standing passengers would be allowed," he said.

All passengers, drivers, bus staffers have to wear masks and hand sanitiser and other hand washing materials have to made available, he said adding that buses have to be disinfected before and after each trip.

Public transport services, including buses and minibuses, resumed on June 1 after more than two months.

The government suspended the services on March 26 to contain the spread of the virus.

Following demands by transport leaders, the government hiked bus fares by 60 percent from June 1 on the condition that buses would carry passengers at half capacity and follow other health safety guidelines.

But complaints on the breach of the aforementioned conditions kept pouring in.

Against this backdrop, bus owners on August 16 wrote to the ministry and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to allow them to operate their vehicles at full capacity at the previous fares, claiming that the coronavirus situation is getting better.

The owners reiterated the same demands at stakeholders' meeting convened by BRTA on August 19.

On the following day, BRTA wrote to the road transport and bridges ministry to take necessary steps regarding transport owners' proposal to operate buses at full capacity at previous fares.