The Minister for Road Transport, Bridges, and Railways, Shaikh Rabiul Alam, has announced that digital screens will soon display fare charts for air-conditioned (AC) buses and minibuses across Bangladesh. Addressing a starred question in parliament on Thursday, 9 April 2026, the minister confirmed that the government is modernising public transport oversight to ensure transparency and protect passengers from overcharging.
Under the Road Transport Act 2018, the government holds the authority to fix or refix fare rates through official gazette notifications. Shaikh Rabiul Alam explained that following these adjustments, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) publishes updated charts on its website and mandates their visibility inside vehicles. While fare charts for non-AC services are already established, the transition to digital displays inside AC transports marks a significant shift in infrastructure policy.
The regulatory framework is supported by Rule 60 (Ka) of the Road Transport Rules 2022, which empowers regional committees to manage transport volumes and route permits based on road capacity. These committees, present in every metropolitan area and district, are tasked with restoring order to the transport sector. This move towards digital accountability aims to streamline the passenger experience and enforce strict adherence to state-mandated pricing.
Railway network reaches 3,428 kilometres
In a separate briefing to the House, Shaikh Rabiul Alam detailed the rapid expansion of the national rail infrastructure. The country now possesses a total of 3,428.09 kilometres of railway tracks. This network is divided into 1,591.43 kilometres of metre-gauge, 1,066.60 kilometres of broad-gauge, and 770.06 kilometres of dual-gauge tracks.
The government is currently prioritising the installation of new broad gauge and dual gauge lines to meet rising demand. Responding to queries regarding fleet capacity, the minister confirmed that the procurement of 200 broad-gauge coaches from India is set to commence this year. Funded by the European Investment Bank, these coaches are expected to be fully integrated into the Bangladesh Railway fleet between June 2026 and December 2027.
"Once the coaches are received, Bangladesh Railway will take initiatives to determine routes for operating new trains," the minister stated. This fleet expansion is expected to directly benefit northern districts, where 15 intercity trains currently operate. The arrival of the Indian-manufactured coaches will allow the ministry to increase service frequency on these vital routes.
Future locomotives and freight upgrades
Beyond passenger carriages, the ministry is seeking approval for several high-priority projects to bolster freight revenue and operational efficiency. Future procurement plans include 46 broad-gauge locomotives and 50 metre-gauge locomotives, alongside an additional 260 passenger carriages.
These investments reflect a broader strategy to modernise the nation's logistics and transit backbone. By combining digital fare enforcement in road transport with a significant increase in rolling stock for railways, the government aims to create a more resilient and consumer-friendly national transport system. These policy signals underscore a commitment to infrastructure development as a primary driver of economic stability.
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