City dwellers have alleged that some bus operators were charging extra fares from them while the owners said they were not aware of such allegation.
Khandakar Nazneen Sultana, a passenger, on Friday alleged that Saydabad-Gazipur-bound Balaka Service charged Tk 50 from her for going to Mahakhali from Saydabad.
‘The usual fare of this distance is Tk 15. Today, without showing any reason they asked for extra fare. When I wanted to get down at Satrasta, they said that the fare is the same Tk 50,’ she added.
Other passengers of the bus said the conductors were charging Tk 100 for travelling between Saydabad and Gazipur when the fare is usually Tk 40.
While asked about charging extra fare, a leader of the Balaka Owners’ Association told New Age that he was not aware of this.
‘See, I am out of Dhaka and conductors of some five to six buses charged extra in this opportunity,’ said the leader.
The passengers also alleged that bus operators including Swakalpa Paribahan, Bihanga Paribahan and Safety Enterprise charged about double the usual fare in recent days (after Eid-ul-Fitr).
Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Samity secretary K Enayetullah told New Age that if they would get any complaints from the passengers, they would take action in this regard.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police joint commissioner office said that they would also take action.
Meanwhile our Manikganj correspondent reports that bus operators were charging about double to triple the usual fares from the passengers at Aricha and Paturia.
Md Halim Mia from Gualondo upazila of Rajbari said the Padma lines staff charged Tk 300 to travel between Dhaka and Paturia while the usual fare is Tk 100, he said.
Asia begum, a garment worker, at Savar EPZ, said she boarded on a truck as there were no buses and paid Tk 200 to go to Nabinagar. However, actual bus fare is only Tk 60, she said.
Momin Sheikh of Nazirpur of Pirojpur said he was an auto-rickshaw driver and lived in Mirpur of Dhaka with his wife and a daughter.
He started for Dhaka from Nazirpur in a bus of Rajdhani Express. The bus staff charged Tk 500 against Tk 350, he said.
Rahat, a garment worker of the Nazirpur, said he paid Tk 500 to go to Gabtoli from Nazirpur against Tk 350.
When contacted, officer-in-charge of Shivalaya police station Sahidul Islam said the passengers were paying extra fares, competing with each other for a seat in the buses.
Magistrate of a mobile court Md Iqbal Hossain said the bus staff were charging extra fares cashing in on a crisis of transports.
-With New Age input
