Fuel price hike: ‘There is a limit to what people can tolerate’

Goods carriers have called an indefinite strike to protest the price hike of fuel oils by the government unanimously.

“There is a limit…price hike by Tk 15 a litre is too much at a time when transporters and people are passing a challenging time amid the coronavirus pandemic,” Mokbul Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Covered Van and Truck Ponnyo Paribahan Owners Association, told the Business Insider Bangladesh on Thursday.

The government on Wednesday announced to hike prices of diesel and kerosene by Tk 15 a litre to Tk 80 at the consumer end. The decision took effect at zero hours past Wednesday, according to a gazette notification.

Now the fare of a truck goes up by Tk 2,500 from Dhaka to Chattogram, Ahmed said.

“Very recently the government has hiked toll rates of different bridges and now they increase diesel and kerosene prices. What will we do? Ultimately, consumers have to bear the extra costs,” he said.

Now trucks that carry vegetables and other essential food commodities will have to increase their fare, he said.