Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, passengers across Bangladesh are facing unregulated fare hikes on air-conditioned (AC) buses, as operators continue to set prices at their discretion. Although the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) regulates non-AC bus fares based on fuel price changes, it has yet to fix rates for AC buses. As a result, passengers are paying between Tk 1,200 and Tk 1,800 for Dhaka–Barishal routes and up to Tk 3,000 for Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar, far higher than non-AC fares. Despite government directives, BRTA has not finalized AC fare structures, allowing operators to continue charging arbitrary rates.

Officials previously announced that AC bus fares would be determined before Eid, and meetings were held between BRTA and transport owners to prepare proposals. However, the process remains incomplete. Transport owners argue that AC fares should not be regulated, while passenger groups and experts blame BRTA for failing to enforce oversight.

Experts from BUET warn that without model-based fare regulation and stronger enforcement, fare chaos will persist, particularly during peak travel seasons like Eid.