Shamima Rita

The National Citizen Party is preparing a major reshuffle of its central organisation, with several senior posts set to be abolished and responsibilities redistributed, while its top leadership is expected to remain unchanged, party sources said.

The government has taken its first major step towards introducing a monorail system in Dhaka, primarily as a feeder service to improve last-mile connectivity for metro rail passengers.

For the first time in Bangladesh, the government plans to bring ambulance services under a regulatory framework, including fixed fares, restrictions on individual ownership and a ban on using locally modified vehicles as ambulances.

Air-conditioned bus operators on several inter-district routes have increased fares by Tk 100 to Tk 200 per seat following the latest fuel price hike, even as passengers complain of weak regulatory oversight.

Just days after the fuel price hike, household budgets are already feeling the squeeze, with commuting costs rising and higher transport expenses pushing up the prices of groceries and other essentials.

Some launch and freight operators have already increased fares and charges before any government-approved revision following a hike in fuel prices, as bus fares have been raised by 17 paisa per kilometre.

The government’s latest fuel price hike is set to ripple across the economy, threatening to rekindle inflation just as it had begun to ease, experts say.

The opposition, having already refused to participate in the special parliamentary committee on constitutional amendment, has now declined to join the discussions as well.