Less than half buses ply on Dhaka streets

Bus owners are operating less than half the number of buses on the streets today following the rise in fuel prices.

According to the bus drivers, most of the companies have taken out fewer buses on Saturday (6 August).

Fewer than 20 buses of the Mirpur Super Link are plying on the Mirpur-Azimpur route, whereas around 40 buses usually run on that route.

The driver of a Mirpur Super Link bus, Emdadul Haque, told The Business Standard, "Three out of six of my bus owner's vehicles have been brought out today. I used to take Tk2700-2800 worth of fuel for five trips. Now it costs more than Tk4000."

Mirpur-Jatrabari route's Khajababa Ltd has 60 buses out of which 15-20 are running today.

Bus driver Md Mithun told TBS that he could not handle the pressure of passengers since morning as on the one hand the owners have reduced the bus operation and the price of fuel oil has increased on the other.

He said, earlier, fuel oil used to cost Tk3,200 per day but now it costs about Tk5,000. 

"However, fares have not been raised yet. A decision may be made after settling the accounts tonight", he added.

Shikor Paribahan operates 55 buses, out of which only 15 are running today.

Supervisor of the bus, Raju, told TBS, four trips used to cost Tk3,300 earlier, but it is not clear today how much it may cost.

He said, "Fares may increase tomorrow. We got into trouble with the passengers every day when the fares were raised once before. God only knows what will happen this time".

Only four out of as many as 40 vehicles of Alternative Auto Service are running today.

Driver Md Shamim told TBS, "If this continues, we will have to die of starvation. Prices of everything will increase due to fuel price hike".