Bus owners agree half pass in Chattogram

In the face of massive protest, Chattogram city bus owners finally agreed to cut fares by half for students, following a meeting with the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Thursday night. 

Chattogram Metropolitan Bus Owners Association Secretary-General Belayet Hossain Belal confirmed the matter to media Friday (December 3) afternoon.

He said they would announce it Sunday at a press conference at the Chattogram Press Club.

"We had a meeting with the BRTA Chattogram office Thursday night and we discussed the half fare for the students and several other issues," he said, adding that the transport owners already took the decision.

He also hinted that the half fare policy at the port city would be similar to that of Dhaka.

''We (the association) had a meeting with inter-district bus owners Saturday, but we cannot promise the privilege for the inbound or outbound Chattogram students on inter-district routes," added Belayet.

Students of different Chattogram educational institutions had been staging demonstrations for the last couple of days demanding half bus fare, expressing solidarity with fellow students protesting in the capital.

Chhatra Federation Chattogram Unit Joint Convener Saifur Rudra said, "We will continue our demonstrations until our 9-point demand is fulfilled."

He, also a student of BGC Trust University, welcomed the move of transport owners.