Newly fixed increased train fare comes into effect today

The newly fixed increased train fare comes into effect today (Saturday) as critics raised their voice against widespread corruption, misuse of public money and wrong policy that made the state-run railway a losing concern.
The increased fare would only put burden on common people while the Bangladesh Railway did not increase the quality of services to passengers, they added.
The government on February 7 issued an order to increase train fares – of both passenger and container trains – by 7.23 per cent on an average which would come into effect from today, said railways ministry secretary Md Feroz Salauddin.
The ministry also proposed to increase train fare every year by adjusting to fuel price, maintenance cost and staff salaries.
After 20 years, on October 1, 2012, the BR had increased train fares ranging between 50 per cent and 115 per cent.
Communist Party of Bangladesh president Mujahidul Islam Selim told New Age on Friday that railway was the safest, cheapest and environment-friendly transportation.
Two forces – local road transport bus syndicate and international automobile manufacturers’ lobby – jointly and deliberately destroyed railway for their own interest, he alleged.
‘It is not justified to put the burden of railway’s losses on passengers as it incurs losses due to corruption and misuse of public money,’ he said.
Socialist Party of Bangladesh central leader Razequzzaman Ratan said there were far-reaching conspiracy, corruption and wrong policies to destroy rail transportation.
‘After hiking fare in 2012 the railway was not able to reduce its losses. The BR will continue to increase train fares unless the corruption, looting and wrong polices would stop,’ he added.
Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh general secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said in 2012 the railway had promised to improve its service quality but failed to fulfil the promise.
‘So this time there is no justification for increasing train fares without improving service quality,’ he added.
They also said there were corruption in railway’s locomotive and carriages’ purchase, appointments in vacant posts and in process to recover its grabbed land.
According railway’s new increased minimum fare for per 18km, the price of a second class ticket will be Tk 10, up from Tk 5, commuter ticket Tk 20 from Tk 15, Shulov ticket Tk 30 from Tk 25, Shobhon ticket Tk 40 from Tk 35, Shobhon chair ticket Tk 45 from Tk 40, first class/chair ticket Tk 90 from Tk 80, Snighdha (AC chair) ticket Tk 100 from Tk 90, first berth ticket Tk 110 from Tk 100,  AC seat ticket Tk 110 from Tk 100 and AC berth ticket Tk 130 from Tk 120.
On Friday, leaders of the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh at a protest rally held in front of National Press Club urged the government to refrain from increasing train fares.
The rally was attended, among others, by the party’s central leader Bannishikha Jamali and Moklesur Rahman, Dhaka City unit secretary Akbar Khan, general secretary Saiful Huq, and leaders Mir Mofazzol Hossain Mostak and Nur Alam.
The rally was followed by a protest march that paraded different city roads.

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