Most of the transport companies are selling bus tickets at high prices, capitalising on the ticket shortage of homebound passengers.
All the bus terminals in the capital were filled with homebound people from Friday morning.
Passengers arriving at the terminal were talking about the bus ticket shortage. Many of them alleged that bus operators charged them extra fares due to the Eid rush.
While visited the Gabtoli bus terminal, it was seen most of the counter tickets at Gabtoli Bus Terminal are sold out online. Those who have booked tickets in advance can board the bus very easily. On the other hand, the passengers who did not buy tickets suffered.
Talking to the passengers, it is known that there is a shortage of tickets for various destinations in the northern region. And passengers have to pay extra fares even if they get tickets.
Abdur Rahman, who works in a garment factory in Mirpur, came to the Gabtoli bus terminal to go to his village in Naogaon.
He brought a ticket to Naogaon by paying Tk 1,100 from the counter of Shah Fateh Ali Paribahan.
However, the government fixed the fare from Dhaka to Naogaon at Tk 701.
The counter master of Shah Fateh Ali Paribahan, seeking anonymity, said, “We are not charging any additional rent. Since we don’t have tickets, passengers are happily giving tips if we arrange their tickets with great difficulty.”
Selfie Paribahan buses running from Dhaka to Paturiaghat are charging Tk 300 from the passengers on Friday. A passenger named Sajib Ahmed said that at other times, the selfie bus used to take Tk 200. But now they are charging Tk 100 more.
Rasel Ahmed, the assistant driver of a Selfie Paribahan bus, said, “When coming to Dhaka, we have to come empty. So a bit more rent is being charged.”
Thousands of city dwellers are leaving the capital for their homes on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
Even though the Eid journey started two days ago, there was a lot of pressure on the bus terminal and roads on Friday, resulting in transport and ticket crises and extreme suffering.
Mohammad Al Amin, counter manager of Hanif Transport, said, “Those who bought tickets earlier are travelling today (Friday). So we can’t take the passengers coming now. Some buses have one or two empty seats. They are being sold from the counter.”
Shariful Islam, from Mohammadpur, who will go to Jashore, said, “I thought I would go home by riding a good bus. However, tickets not available. Now I have to go to some other transport.”
Madrasa student Azam Sarwar will go to Pangsha in Kushtia. He bought two tickets from Rabeya Paribahan.
He said that usually, the fare to Pangsha is Tk 400. But on the occasion of Eid, Tk 600 have been kept. This rent is high for us as students.
Shahidul, the counter manager of Rabeya Paribahan said, that the fare is being kept a little higher for Eid. The demand for passengers is more than the bus, so the ticket price is kept a little higher. After Eid, tickets will be sold at regular prices again.
Regarding the bus shortage and excess fares, BRTA chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder said, that there is no opportunity to charge more than the fare fixed by the government. Our executive magistrate is at the terminal all the time. Action will be taken against them if they collect excess fare.”
Munibur Rahman, additional commissioner (traffic), issued a warning on Wednesday that action will be taken against any transport service if they collect extra fare from passengers during the Eid journey.
He said long-haul buses must only pick up or drop off passengers at designated bus terminals in Dhaka. Passengers should remain inside the terminal before boarding the buses.
Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on June 17 (Monday). According to the official holiday list, the Eid-ul-Azha holiday will start from the day before Eid, i.e. June 16 (Sunday). The holiday will continue till June 18 (Tuesday). June 14 and 15 are the weekends before that. If anyone manages two days, June 19 and June 20, with this, the Eid holiday can increase to 9 days.
