Bangladesh
Dhaka-Bhanga Train Civic organization demands 40% reduction in Dhaka-Bhanga via Padma Setu train fare
Dhaka, Oct 11: Inauguration of train service from Dhaka to Bhanga of Faridpur via Padma Setu is a landmark step in the field of rail communication. However, on this route, the proposed train fare should be reduced by at least 40 percent, according to the civic organization National Committee for the Protection of Sea, Road and Railway.
In a statement on Tuesday, the president of the organization Md. Shahid Mia and general secretary Ashish Kumar Dey made this demand. The statement said that the Dhaka-Bhanga proposed train fare is about 40 percent higher than the existing bus fare. As a result common commuters will prefer bus to save cost and train ridership will be much less than expected.
According to the statement, the committee of Bangladesh Railway has proposed a fare of Tk 350 per person in inter-city train (non-AC) and Tk 667 in AC chair for the 82 km railway from Dhaka to Bhanga in Faridpur via Padma bridge. The proposal is awaiting the approval of the Ministry of Railways. However, non-AC and AC bus fares from Dhaka to Bhanga are Tk 250 and Tk 500 per person respectively.
Referring to the railway as a state-owned service organization, the leaders of the national committee said that the governments of various countries including India provide subsidies in this sector to increase the quality of train services and reduce the cost of the people. In this case, they expressed hope that the government will set a lower fare by subsidizing the Dhaka-Bhanga railway as well.
