Red for diesel-run, green for gas-driven buses in Chattogram
To prevent the malpractice of charging extra fare, BRTA and CMP jointly took the initiative
In order to prevent fare irregularities in public transports after the recent diesel price hike, stickers of separate colours are being pasted on the public buses running on different routes in Chattogram city.
The Traffic Department of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) jointly implemented the initiative on Saturday.
On Saturday morning, along with a list of government-fixed fare, red stickers were pasted on diesel-powered public transports and green stickers on CNG-run vehicles at Number-2 Gate area at Sholashahar of the port city.
The event was inaugurated by CMP Deputy Commissioner (Traffic-North Division) Md Ali Hossain. Among others CMP Assistant Commissioner Md Mumtaz Uddin, and BRTA Inspector Md Fahad Sikder were present on the occasion.
Ali Hossain told The Business Standard, "As a first step to deter the practice of charging extra fare, stickers of separate colours are being affixed on vehicles. Besides, a list of fares, fixed by the government, is also being attached inside each bus. The fare list will be hung at the bus terminal and bus stoppages for the convenience of passengers."
Officials of CMP's traffic department and BRTA took part in similar drives at Tiger Pass, Agrabad, and Customs intersections of the port city. The decision of pasting stickers of separate colours at public buses was made at a coordination meeting between officials of CMP and BRTA. Public transport owners and labour leaders also attended the meeting, held at the CMP headquarters.
Earlier, on 3 November, the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry announced that diesel and kerosene prices will be increased by Tk15 per litre, which came into effect from 4 November.
Owners of bus, truck and other goods-carrying vehicles went on an indefinite transport strike across the country from 5 November, demanding revised fares.
On 7 December, the government decided to increase bus fares in a meeting with leaders of the Transport Owners Association at the BRTA head office in Dhaka.
The fare of long distance bus was revised at Tk1.8 per kilometer, instead of the previous Tk1.42, an increase by 27%.
Moreover, the fare was increased by 26.5% in different metropolitan cities including Dhaka and Chattogram.
Meanwhile, even after increasing the fare, the public transport operators, including CNG-run buses started charging extra fare.
Aimed at deterring this malpractice and to avoid unpleasant incidents, BRTA and CMP jointly undertook the initiative of pasting different couloured stickers on buses.
