50% passengers on public transports from Wednesday, fare increased by 60%

Public transports will run with 50 percent passengers of its carrying capacity from Wednesday amid the rising trend of coronavirus infection, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.

Besides, public transport fares will be increased by 60%, he added today, reports Somoy News.

Earlier on Monday, the government imposed a set of new restrictions amid the rising cases of coronavirus in the country.

As the order, public transport cannot carry passengers more than 50 percent of its capacity and must comply with hygiene rules. And inter-district communication should be restricted in high risk areas of infection; should be closed if necessary.

Bangladesh Railway has said that trains will carry 50 percent passengers from 1 April. Railways authority has come up with the announcement through a press release posted on Facebook on Tuesday noon.

The official Facebook page reads, "The decision has been made to ensure passengers' health as coronavirus outbreak has increased alarmingly."

"Now 50 percent of the tickets for each train will be sold. 25 percent of which will be sold at the counters and 25 percent on online," the release reads.

Bangladesh Railway Station (Kamalapur) Master Mohammad Rafiqul Islam told The Business Standard, "We have already started selling odd numbered tickets from this morning following yesterday's instructions."

"We will sell half the number of tickets as instructed in terms of news ticket sales. However, the passengers of the tickets that have been sold earlier will travel as before," he added.

From 6 April, we will be able to carry half capacity of passengers following the government instructions. Because the ones that have been sold cannot be returned.

Thermal machines and hand sanitizers have already been set at the stations. All the trains are being sprayed and comply with hygiene rules.

These directives will remain effective for the next two weeks.

Earlier, the Prime Minister's Office has issued an 18-point directive.

Bangladesh on Monday saw an alarming growth in the number of Covid-19 cases as 5,181 people were diagnosed with the disease in 24 hours, which is the highest in a single day till date.

The country's death toll from the virus now stands at 8,949 and the number of cases now stands at 600,895, according to a press release of DGHS.