Minister Warns of Strict Action Against Extra Fares for Gas-Powered Vehicles
The Minister made these remarks on Saturday morning, April 25, 2026, after inaugurating the Annual Sports Competition-2026 of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in the city’s Mohammadpur area. He clarified that this is a direct adjustment aligned with fuel prices; should international market trends cause fuel prices to drop in the future, bus fares will be automatically reduced via official notification without further formal discussions.
Regarding the fare hike, the Minister specified that the new decision applies exclusively to diesel-powered buses and minibuses. Since the price of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) has not been increased, there is no scope for hiking fares for gas-powered vehicles. He warned that if any transport owner or worker collects extra fare for gas-powered vehicles, strict legal action will be taken immediately upon receiving a complaint. Notably, as per the new decision effective since April 23, fares on inter-district routes and in the metropolitan areas of Dhaka and Chattogram have been increased by 11 paisa per kilometer.
Addressing the capital’s traffic management, the Minister further announced that auto-rickshaws will be phased out from major roads and critical areas to alleviate congestion and restore order. He noted that the unregulated movement of auto-rickshaws is currently disrupting public life, adding that "saving Dhaka is a collective responsibility." Furthermore, due to global oil market volatility triggered by the ongoing conflict in Iran, the prices of diesel, octane, and petrol in the country were increased by 15 to 20 BDT per liter on April 18. Currently, diesel is being sold at 115 BDT per liter and octane at 140 BDT per liter.
