Transport fares in Bangladesh have risen ahead of official government approval following a recent increase in fuel prices, affecting launch, bus, and truck operators across several regions.
Bus fares were formally increased by 17 paisa per kilometre after a meeting held on Tuesday at the Secretariat in Dhaka. The session included Shaikh Rabiul Alam, minister for road transport and bridges, railways and shipping, transport owners, and other stakeholders. Under the new fare structure, long-distance bus fares climbed from Tk 2.23 to Tk 2.40 per kilometre, while fares for services operating within Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas increased from Tk 2.53 to Tk 2.70 per kilometre. The fare revisions follow a Tk 20 per litre rise in retail prices for diesel, octane, petrol, and kerosene that took effect on Monday.
Despite the official hike for buses, some launch and freight operators had already implemented fare increases prior to government sanction. Launch owners have reported charging higher fares on multiple routes, with passengers confirming increased ticket prices. For example, deck tickets on the Dhaka-Bhola route have risen from Tk 300-350 to as much as Tk 400. Similarly, fares on the Dhaka-Barishal route have increased from Tk 300 to Tk 350 for deck seats, single cabin fares from Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,200, and double cabin fares from Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,400. Price hikes have also been observed on the Chandpur and Aricha routes.
Launch operators attribute the early fare adjustments to the necessity of covering higher operational costs caused by the fuel price surge. Minhazul Islam Azad, a member of the Launch Owners’ Association, stated that maintaining previous rates had become unsustainable. Launch owners convened on Tuesday night to prepare a formal proposal of new fares for discussion in a scheduled meeting with Minister Rabiul later the same day.
In the freight sector, truck and lorry fares have begun to rise in multiple locations, including Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar and the Benapole land port. Drivers reported additional costs amounting to several thousand taka per trip due to increased fuel expenses. Sumon Molla, a truck driver arriving from Dinajpur, noted an extra Tk 4,000 in costs on his journey. Meanwhile, at Benapole, truck owners have reportedly raised fares by Tk 5,000 to Tk 6,000 per trip, impacting traders dependent on the port’s high volume of import and export traffic. Kamal Uddin Shimul, vice-president of the Benapole Customs C&F Agents Association, said the increases have created difficulties for local traders.
Minister Rabiul cautioned truck owners against arbitrary fare hikes and indicated that decisions on launch and freight fares would be finalized only after consultations with respective owner associations and stakeholders. Md Hasanul Kabir, general secretary of the Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners’ Association, said discussions with district-level owners are underway and a consolidated fare structure is expected within the week.
The fuel price adjustments have notably pressured the transport industry, particularly long-distance services, where operators face the risk of operating at a loss without fare increases. Passengers and traders remain affected by the ongoing changes as authorities work to regulate the rising costs.