The government is going to revise launch fares on Tuesday in the wake of price hike of diesel, according to officials.
"A draft has been formulated on fare hike… The shipping ministry will take the final decision at a meeting on Tuesday," Matiar Rahman, chief of the launch fare revision committee, told bdnews24.com on Monday.
Shipping ministry deputy secretary and a committee member Shahidul Islam said the draft has been formulated taking opinions from the inland water transport regulator and launch owners.
Badiuzzaman Badal, senior vice-president of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport (Passenger Carriers) Owners' Association, however, told bdnews24.com that they were yet to reach a consensus with the ministry on new fares.
The draft, formulated by the 11-member fare revision committee, proposes per kilometre hike of Tk 1.30 for a less-than 100-km trip and Tk 1 per for a over 100-km journey.
But the owners are demanding per kilometre fare hike of Tk 1.40 and Tk 1.10 respectively.
The government on May 5 revised upwards the fares of bus, minibus and CNG auto-rickshaws in the wake of the enhanced price of compressed natural gas (CNG) and fuel.
The shipping ministry decided to increase launch and water transport fares upon an appeal of the owners' association.
The government on June 3 formed the launch fare revision committee.
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