Fuel price hike leads to a transportation mayhem

The fuel price hike has led to a disarray in public transportation, leaving commuters with increased fares and fewer vehicles on roads.

Commodity prices, especially of vegetables, went up too due to fewer trucks than usual being pressed into service and higher truck fares, though truck owners claimed they did not hike fares.  

A 24-hour strike by tank-lorry owners demanding higher fare and commission, which was later withdrawn, came as an added worry for the Khulna region as it disrupted fuel oil supplies to 14 southern districts. 

Launch owners are also seeking to double water-route fares.

Commuters in Dhaka, especially office and school goers, suffered on roads on Sunday like the previous day with less transports on roads. Besides, those who were offering their services were charging more than the government announced fares.

Hundreds were seen waiting at various intersections and bus stops hoping to get a ride.

MA Khaleq, owner of one Bihang Paribahan bus, said, "We are operating all buses to avoid scuffle between bus staff and passengers over fares. Once the fare chart is ready, there will be no issue."

BRTA Director and Spokesperson Mahbub E Rabbani, said, "The new fare chart will be completed by today and it will be uploaded to our website."

As there were less buses on the roads, demand for rickshaws was high and they were charging extra fare. CNG-run auto-rickshaws and ride-sharing bikers also asked for extra fares, according to commuters.

Prices of vegetables increased

The prices of all kinds of vegetables have increased within a day after the government announced the fuel price hike Friday night.

"Prices of daily essentials are continuously going up. Now, the transport fare to my office at Motijheel from Mirpur-10 has also increased," said Samdani Shadin, a private service holder.

"It's already hard to survive with my meagre salary of only Tk22,000. Now with increased expenses, I do not know how I will manage," added Shadin, father of a one-year old kid.

Prices of leafy vegetables increased Tk5 per bundle and prices of vegetables shot up by Tk5 per kg at the capital's Karwan Bazar and Kalyanpur Bazar.

Mohammad Rashed, a vegetable seller, said the price of greens and vegetables has increased due to the increase in transportation costs.

"Now buyers are also buying less. As a result, my daily sales also dropped from around Tk6,000 to Tk3,000," he said.

Truck fare for transporting vegetables Kushtia to Dhaka has increased from Tk13,000 to Tk17,000, said traders.

Besides, prices of rice, potatoes and onions may increase, they feared.

Demand for fuel price hike cancellation

The owners of trucks and covered vans have demanded immediate withdrawal of the hiked prices of diesel and octane.

"We have not demanded to increase the fares due to the fuel price hike as it will lead to rise in the prices of commodities," said Md Tofazzal Hossain Mozumder, president of Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners' Association on Sunday.

"We demand the withdrawal of the increased price of petrol and octane. The imported diesel should be subsidised for the time being and its price should be kept normal too," he said.

"According to the prime minister's remark, octane and petrol are produced in the country. So, our question is why the prices have increased," said Tofazzal.

"Now owners have stopped running trucks to avoid losses as the oil prices have gone up," he added.

Meanwhile, Khulna Tank-Lorry Owners' Association has suspended the strike on Sunday afternoon after suspending oil transportation for hours.

They announced a 24-hour shutdown and suspended fuel oil transportation in 14 districts since Sunday morning demanding an increase in tanker fares and commission on the sale of fuel oil.

Launch owners demand double the fare

Meanwhile, the launch owners have written to the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) asking them to increase launch fares.

They sought the per kilometre fare of Tk2.30 for a 100km distance to be increased to Tk4.60 and the fare of Tk2 for a distance exceeding 100km to be hiked to Tk4.

They mentioned in their letter that the fuel oil price hike and the increasing dollar price at the global market have led to a 200% price increase of mobil and engine parts.