Cut fare for Dhaka metro rail by half: NCPSRR
Bangladesh
The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) has demanded the government-mandated fare rate for the Dhaka metro rail be reduced by 50%.
NCPSRR President Haji Md Shahid Mia and General Secretary Ashish Kumar Dey made the call during a press briefing on Wednesday (7 September).
Criticising the government move to set metro rail fare at Tk5/km with a ticket costing a minimum of Tk20, the rights body, in a statement, said, "Where the minimum fare of buses is Tk10, setting the fare of a state-owned transport system at a double rate is completely unfair, undesirable and unacceptable.
"This decision will add to the woes of the commuters, already reeling with rising transportation costs and benefit the private transport owners."
NCPSRR urged the authorities concerned to cut down the minimum metro rail fare by Tk10 and bring down the fare per km to Tk3.
Earlier on Tuesday (6 September), Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader announced that the country's maiden metro rail service will charge a passenger Tk5 per kilometre.
The minimum fare will be Tk20, he added.
While inaugurating an exhibition centre at the Uttara metro rail depot, the minister said the metro rail fare from Uttara to Motijheel has been fixed at Tk100.
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