No decision yet to raise train fares: Minister

The government has not yet decided to increase train fares following the latest hike in fuel prices, Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said Wednesday (September 23).

“Currently, there is no decision to raise railway fares,” the minister told reporters at the Secretariat after a bilateral meeting.

He said the Railways Ministry was facing pressure to increase fares to contain mounting losses, but the government had not raised train fares for the past decade.

Given its responsibility to passengers, he said, the government was making every effort to keep fares unchanged.

“If fares have to be increased eventually, the adjustment will be reasonable,” he said, adding that existing fares would remain in effect for now.

The remarks came as the government increased passenger launch fares by 7.54 percent following the Tk 20-per-litre fuel price hike. The minimum launch fare has been raised from Tk 32 to Tk 35.

Rabiul Alam said launch operators had sought a 15 percent increase citing higher fuel and operating costs, but the government approved a lower adjustment after considering passengers’ interests.

He also said there was no basis for increasing fares for CNG-run vehicles because CNG prices had not changed. Authorities would take action if operators charged passengers more than the approved fares, he added.