BPWA demands reduction of bus fares following fuel oil price cut

Bangladesh Passengers' Welfare Association (BPWA) yesterday demanded reduction of bus fare following the fuel price cut, at a human chain in front of the capital's Jatiya Press Club, and threatened a tougher movement, if their demand is not met.

The government on Monday cut fuel oil price by Tk 3-10. The price of diesel and kerosene has been reduced to Tk 65 from Tk 68 a litre, octane to Tk 89 from 99 and petrol to Tk 86 from 96.

Almost all the buses of inter-district routes are run by diesel, said transport workers.

The association in a written statement said in past whenever fuel price was increased, bus operators became desperate to hike fare. But no activities have been noticed till now to reduce fare.

If fare is not reduced, the government's decision of price cut will benefit bus owners instead of common people, said Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, secretary general of the association.

He also demanded more reduction of diesel price because octane and petrol are mostly used in private cars, while diesel is used in public buses. Several leaders of the association, left politicians Rajekuzzaman Ratan and Ruhin Hossain Prince, also spoke.