Launch fare, shipment prices to go up

Passenger launch and cargo shipment owners are planning to increase fares as the government decided to increase various service charges from the users of river ports, jetties and ferries, with effect from this Tuesday.
Bangladesh Inland Waterways Passenger Carrier Association senior vice-chairman Badiuzzaman Badal said they would increase launch fare as the government increased the service charges.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority chairman commodore M Mozammel Haque told New Age on Sunday they were only ‘adjusting’ the rates after 14 years as prices of diesel and other relevant expenditure has increased.
According to the new rate chart published on Sunday, some service charges have been hiked by as much as 400 per cent, while some charges have been abolished or decreased.
M Mozammel Haque said the new rates would come into effect at 26 river ports and ferry ghats on March 1 that are directly operated by the authority.
At the remaining 372 ghats and points, operated by leaseholders, the new charges would come into effect from July 1, to honour the existing contracts between BIWTA and leaseholders that expire on June 30.
‘From now on when the pay commission increase salaries, which is supposed to happen every five years, we will also increase the service charges,’ he added.
Beside the new charges, the government will also impose 15 per cent Value Added Tax on BIWTA’s 19 charges from users of inland ports, jetties and ferries, for the first time.
Officials said BIWTA proposed an adjustment to the charges in 2015 as they had not changed since 2002.
The shipping minister Shajahan Khan on February 3 approved the new rates.
Conservancy charge on all passenger vessels (per passenger annually) increased from Tk 80 to Tk115, all flats and barges (per gross ton annually) from Tk 20 to Tk 57.50, all tags (per gross ton annually) from Tk 30 to Tk 51.75 and all self-propelled vessels (per gross ton annually) from Tk 35 to Tk 57.50.
A new conservancy charge of Tk 414 is being imposed on all speed boats (per passenger annually) and Tk172.50 is being imposed on all foreign flag-carrier tugs, barges and cargo vessels (per gross ton annually) and all foreign flag-carrier passenger vessels (per passenger annually).
The rate of terminal tickets for entering Dhaka, Barisal, Chandpur, Khulna, Narayanganj, Narsingdi and Patuakhali ports have been increased from Tk 3 to Tk 5.
Ferry charge at port areas for every passenger on non-motorised boats has been increased from Tk 50 to Tk 200, an increase of 300 per cent.
New charge has been imposed on entering eco-parks while Tk 6 will be charged for entering an eco-park without rides and Tk 20 will be imposed on entering parks with rides.
For hiring pilots to measure depth of river beds, the pilotage fee (per beat) has been raised from Tk 300 to Tk 500, an increase of 66.67 per cent.
Berthing charges on all passenger vessels to use Dhaka, Barisal and Chandpur ports have been increased by about 17 per cent for use between 6:30pm and 2:00pm, while the charges have been decreased by 12.5 per cent for use between 2:00pm and 6:30pm.
Ferry terminal charges on all buses, trucks, pick-up, mini buses and station wagons have been increased from Tk 40 to Tk 58 while a new charge of Tk12 has been imposed on vans and motorcycles using ferry terminals.
Road charges have been increased from Tk 30 to Tk 46, and Tk15 to Tk 23 for loaded and vacant buses and trucks respectively, weighing more than five tonnes.
Road charges have been increased from Tk 20 to Tk 35, and Tk 8 to Tk 12 for loaded and vacant buses and trucks respectively, weighing five tonnes or lighter.
Road charges on minibuses, cars, jeeps, pick-ups, station wagons have been increased from Tk 5 to Tk 12.
For using the authority’s space, the existing billboards and hoarding signs (per square feet, every month) charge has been raised by 434 per cent, from Tk 2.25 to Tk 12, while new signs will cost Tk 30.
BIPCA senior vice-chairman Badiuzzaman Badal alleged that the authorities did not speak to them before increasing the service charges.
‘We called an emergency meeting today and we will send our new proposal to the shipping ministry on March 9 to increase launch fare,’ he said.
Bangladesh Launch Owners’ Association general secretary Bhashkor Chowdhury said as the authorities raised the charges to such a high level, they would also send a proposal to the ministry to increase the launch fare immediately.
The BIWTA operated ferry and launch ghats are – Ilisha, Laharhat, Bheduria, Harina, Alubazaar, Majuchowdhury, Doulatdia, Paturia, Kazirhat, Mawa, Char Janajat, and Ilias Ahmed Chowdhury.