Is Dhaka metro rail comparatively costly?

Dhaka metro rail’s fare is higher compared to the same service in neighbouring India and Pakistan, allege the passenger welfare bodies, but the government is refuting the allegation.

Metro Rail authorities in Bangladesh said that the fare is higher in Bangladesh for different reasons including the price of electricity. The fare has been fixed considering the current situation.

Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh has recently urged the government at a press conference to reduce the per-kilometer minimum fare by 50 per cent. The fare issue is also being discussed on social media platforms by different strata of society.

The Secretary General of the association Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury said, “The minimum fare for Kolkata metro rail service is Rs 5 or Tk 6. In Kolkata, two kilometers can be travelled for Rs 5, five kilometres for Rs 10, 10 kilometres for Rs 15 and 20 kilometres for Rs 20. The highest fare is Rs 25 or Tk 31.”

“But in Dhaka, the per kilometre fare is Tk 5 and the minimum fare is Tk 20. For a 20-kilometre journey, a commuter will need to pay Tk 100. But in Delhi travelling around 20 kilometres costs Rs 40 or Tk 50,” he said, adding that in Pakistan, the minimum fare is Rs 20 or Tk 9.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, however, claimed that the fare is reasonable even compared to a rickshaw ride that takes a minimum Tk 20.

“Besides, metro rail passengers will get the facility of fast travelling compared to any other mode of transport available in the city where traffic congestion kills valuable time on the road,” the minister told the reporters.

“Considering the present situation in Dhaka city, you will come from Uttara to Kamalapur by metro rail for Tk 100. How much time will you spend? Only 38 minutes. So where is the loss?” he asked.

Hoping that most people will happily accept this fare, he observed that transport fare is something that will never be acceptable to everyone.

Dhaka metro rail’s implementing authority Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director MAN Siddique said, “The difference in fares between Dhaka and neighbouring countries’ metro rail is mainly due to the variation in electricity prices.”

“What are the advantages of Kolkata metro rail and what are the advantages of our metro rail? You see, how time-saving our rail is. Agargaon can be reached in 10 minutes from Uttara. If you take other transport how much time will it take?” he asked.

He said that the fare has been fixed here keeping the current context in mind. “If you compare it with the countries that have introduced metro rail recently, you will see that there is no difference in fare,” he claimed.

“We have to keep the electricity bill in mind. It is an electric train. You should compare the electricity cost of the country with which you are comparing our metro rail fare,” he said.

He also claimed that the fare fixed here is the minimum.