Operators cash in on huge pre-Eid demand
Like every year, many bus services are taking advantage of people’s desperation to go home for Eid, charging additional amount for advance tickets. They are charging Tk 50 to Tk 100 extra compared with normal fares on different routes from Dhaka, claim passengers.
“It usually costs me Tk 350-400 to travel from Dhaka to Chowgachha in Jessore with a certain bus company. The same bus company has charged me Tk 500 for the same route’s ticket for August 18,” said Mohammad Ridoy at Gabtoli bus terminal yesterday.
A staffer of Labiba Enterprise demanded Tk 500 when this correspondent sought an advance ticket for August 15 from Dhaka to Barisal. But some regular passengers on this route said the usual fare is Tk 400-450.
At Mohakhali bus terminal, a ticket seeker named Raju Hamid said Fathea Ali Paribahan demanded Tk 450 for tickets for August 14 from Dhaka to Naogaon, while the usual fare is Tk 400.
Asked about such hike in bus fare, Ali Khabir Chand, president of Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners Association, and Khandaker Enayet Ullah, secretary general of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Samity, said bus owners were now charging as per the government’s fare rate.
At other times, they charge less than the government-set fares, said Ali Khabir and Enayet Ullah.
Samad Mandal, manager of Hanif Paribahan, said, “Ahead of Eid, the buses become jam-packed while leaving Dhaka. But they remain almost empty while returning to Dhaka. That is why we charge government-set fares during this time.”
The state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation yesterday started selling advance tickets for different routes from Dhaka.
Meanwhile, at Kamalapur railway station, hundreds of ticket seekers were seen standing in long queues yesterday, the third day of advance ticket sale by Bangladesh Railway.
According to the station schedule, train tickets for August 14 were sold on Sunday, tickets for August 15 on Monday, tickets for August 16 yesterday, tickets for August 17 today, while tickets for August 18 will be sold tomorrow.
Law enforcers arrested one person allegedly for an attempt to sale tickets on the black market.
People stood in queues since 1:30pm yesterday to buy tickets for August 17 even though tickets for the date are scheduled to start selling from 9:00am today.
Private launch owners will start selling advance cabin tickets on August 10, while the state-run Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation will start selling its advance tickets today.
Three separate committees were formed yesterday at a meeting among Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), transport owners and workers at BRTA office.
The committees, consisting of BRTA officials, law enforcers, transport owners and workers, will monitor three bus terminals — Gabtoli, Mohakhali and Sayedabad during the Eid rush.
-With The Daily Star input
