Launches will run with 50% of its passenger capacity during this year’s Eid journey State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury has said the government has decided that passenger launches will also carry 50% of its capacity like trains and buses, and launch fares will be hiked from Today.
“Launches will run with 50% of its passenger capacity during this year’s Eid journey,” told the state minister.
He also urged to the people not to travel unless absolutely necessary as Covid-19 infections have been rising again.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has proposed a 60% hike in launch fare, confirmed BIWTA Chairman Commodore Golam Sadeq.
He said the proposal sent to the Shipping Ministry for approval after a meeting with the launch owners association on Wednesday, while speaking to the media at the Secretariat.
There was a meeting on Eid preparations where launch operators proposed a 60% fare hike just like other modes of public transport, since they too have to operate at 50% capacity in order to mitigate the rise in Covid-19 infections. The government directed all public modes of transport to operate on 50% of their capacity and maintain health safety guidelines on March 28 to curb upsurge of Covid-19.
