Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (JKS) Sunday rejected the new bus fare hike and demanded a fresh fare determination through proper cost analysis.
While various social and political organisations are protesting in the field demanding the withdrawal of increased fuel oil prices, bus owners are busy raising bus fares in collaboration with the government, said a JSK statement.
The passenger welfare association made the call in a statement demanding to withdraw the increased bus fares announced by BRTA and Transport Owners Association as it was made without the presence of a passenger representative and violated the international consumer law to determine bus fares.
The association Secretary General Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury said that the bus fare was increased by 35 per cent when the price of fuel oil was increased by Tk 15 per litre last November.
After 9 months, with the increase in fuel oil price again, the bus fare was again increased by 22 per cent without proper cost analysis, he added.
Even though every old bus was considered a brand-new bus in the fare analysis, bank interest and other facilities of the new bus are analysed for the old buses running on the streets. 98 per cent of the buses and minibuses are unfit for playing in the city, said the statement.
“48 per cent of inter-district long-distance buses have been running for more than 20 years. These buses have become risky for travellers. The quality of passenger service of these old buses has gone to the bottom,” it mentioned.
“Passengers' interests were severely damaged due to cost analysis of these buses as shiny new buses,” Chowdhury said, demanding “separate cost analysis and separate fares for new and old buses.”
He also said that the government fixes bus fares in line with the recommendation of the bus owners, even the fare fixed by the government is not effective on any bus.
He demanded immediate withdrawal of the increased bus fare and setting of the new fare after proper cost analysis.