The Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samiti has criticised the government's recommendation to reduce bus fares by only Tk0.03 per kilometer, describing it as a mockery with the passengers.

“It is nothing but a blatant mockery with the passenger,” the passengers’ welfare platform in a statement said, requesting the government to reduce the bus fare in line with the drop in fuel prices.

The Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samiti made the call in response to the recommendation by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to reduce bus fares by Tk0.03 per kilometer for passengers, scheduled to take effect from tomorrow.

After the downward adjustment of diesel and kerosene prices, the government committee responsible for fixing bus fares reached the decision during a meeting held at BRTA headquarters in Dhaka on Monday with its Chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder in the chair.

As per the recommendations, the fare of intercity buses will be Tk 2.12 per km instead of Tk 2.15 per km. The fare of city buses will be Tk 2.42 per km instead of Tk 2.45 per km.

Meanwhile, the Road Transport and Highways Division already issued a circular in this regard upon receiving the recommendation sent by the government committee responsible for fixing bus fares.

On 31, March, the government cut the prices of diesel and kerosene by Tk 2.25 per litre to Tk 106 from the previous rate of Tk 108.25.

However, the prices of octane and petrol remained unchanged.