Passengers travelling by launch will now have to pay a minimum fare of Tk35, following a decision to increase water transport fares after the recent rise in fuel prices.
Under the new decision, the fare has been increased by Tk0.23 per kilometre for the first 100 kilometres and by Tk0.20 per kilometre for distances beyond 100 kilometres.
Shipping Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam disclosed the decision to journalists after a meeting with the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Owners Association at the Ministry of Shipping on Wednesday.
Until now, the minimum launch fare per passenger was Tk32. The new decision has increased it to Tk35.
The minister said fuel prices had increased by 17.39 per cent, raising the cost of operating vessels.
“Alongside this, management and maintenance costs of vessels have increased, while the price of spare parts has also risen due to the increase in the dollar price. Considering these factors, launch owners had demanded a fare hike. However, the increase has been kept lower than their demand,” he said.
He said efforts had been made to keep the fare increase at the lowest possible level considering passengers’ affordability and public interest.
Launch owners had demanded that the fare for the first 100 kilometres be increased to Tk4.45 per kilometre from the existing Tk2.95, and that the fare beyond 100 kilometres be raised to Tk4.02 per kilometre from Tk2.52.
The minister said the ministry was also monitoring the situation to prevent launch operators from increasing fares arbitrarily.
Earlier on Tuesday, bus fares were increased by Tk0.17 per kilometre following the rise in fuel prices.
The fare for long-distance buses was increased to Tk2.40 per kilometre from Tk2.23, while fares in Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas were raised to Tk2.70 per kilometre from Tk2.53.
Launch fares had already been increased earlier this year due to higher fuel prices.
In May, the fare for the first 100 kilometres was increased by Tk0.18 to Tk2.95 per kilometre from Tk2.77. For distances beyond 100 kilometres, the fare was raised by Tk0.14 to Tk2.52 per kilometre from Tk2.38.
At the same time, the minimum fare was increased to Tk32 from Tk29.
