Collusion to undermine the online bus ticketing system!

Arafat Siddiqui, an officer at BBC Media Action, purchased a ticket from Hanif Paribahan via shohoz.com on March 15 for a trip scheduled at 9:30 pm to Naogaon on March 19. However, at 8 am on March 19, he received a notification from Shojhod.com indicating that Hanif Paribahan had canceled the trip.

Reflecting on his frustrating experience, Arafat shared with Views Bangladesh, 'I attempted to call at least six times, and after waiting approximately 11 minutes on the last call, I finally managed to speak with a customer service representative at the shohoz.com call center. He informed me that the refund would be processed within 5 to 7 working days following Eid. When I inquired whether the entire amount would be refunded or if the platform fee would be deducted, the representative confirmed that the platform fee would indeed be deducted. He then ended the call. Throughout these six attempts, I incurred a mobile operator charge of Tk44 at a standard rate of Tk4 per minute.'

Arafat continued, 'I need to return home for Eid. Consequently, I felt compelled to search for tickets again on the online ticketing platform, feeling quite helpless. Ultimately, I managed to secure a ticket for Shyamoli Paribahan (Dhaka-Naogaon) at 1 pm that same day (March 19) through a platform named BD Tickets. However, just an hour after purchasing the ticket at 10 am, I received an SMS at 11 am notifying me that this online ticket had also been canceled. This time, I attempted to contact the BD Tickets call center and encountered the same difficulties as with shohoz.com. Feeling somewhat disoriented, I proceeded to the Shyamoli counter in Kalyanpur. Surprisingly, the counter did have tickets available for the same 1 pm schedule, but I was required to pay a significantly higher price; there was nothing I could do! Out of curiosity, I checked the Hanif Paribahan counter and discovered that tickets for the canceled 9:30 pm trip were still available there as well!

From the experience of Arafat Siddiqui, it becomes evident that numerous transport employees are canceling online tickets and reselling them at a higher price from the counter. On March 19, Views Bangladesh published a comprehensive report regarding this issue. Indeed, since the implementation of the online ticketing system, the lengthy queues for tickets before Eid at the Gabtoli and Kalyanpur counters have disappeared, allowing individuals to purchase tickets conveniently from their homes.

However, the introduction of this online ticketing system has adversely affected a certain group of transport employees. Year after year, during peak travel times such as Eid or other significant events, these employees would appear at the Gabtoli-Kalyanpur counters, acting as if they were landlords, and would demand an inflated price for tickets with a stern demeanor. Any passenger who dared to protest would inevitably face harassment. These employees have consistently plotted to undermine the online ticketing system.

During the Eid travel period, endangering a passenger by canceling a trip just half an hour prior and compelling them to return to the counter to purchase a ticket exemplifies a long-standing corruption within the transport sector. This can be viewed as a profound conspiracy orchestrated by the syndicate.

My Eid journey, along with the experiences of my family members, was far from satisfactory. SR Travels is reputed for being the most reliable and providing excellent service on the Dhaka-Bogura route. Initially, I attempted to purchase tickets from SR Travels. Upon failing to secure a ticket, I opted for a new service named Blue-Line Express through shohoz.com. The descriptions and images of the bus on their Facebook page instilled confidence in me to buy tickets. However, this turned out to be a scam.

Essentially, this gang's operation involves renting several AC buses, erecting a signboard, and selling tickets for 20-25 trips via the online platform before Eid. They only provide two or three trips with the rented bus, embezzling a significant sum of money from ticket sales and then disappearing.



On March 19, there was no staff present at the Blue-Line Express counter in Kalyanpur. Approximately 300 passengers, who had purchased tickets for around ten trips, were causing a disturbance. Subsequently, the police arrived and brought two employees. They transported 70 passengers to the bus in a rented vehicle and departed once more. Passengers who bought tickets online may receive a partial refund after a month, excluding the platform fee. However, the majority of those who were deceived by purchasing tickets at the counter are unlikely to recover their funds, or they may find it too challenging to pursue a refund amidst their busy lives, which is quite common. On March 19, I had a bus journey scheduled for 9 am. When I received the cancellation notice at 8:30 am, I was merely three minutes away from the boarding point. At that moment, I wondered what could have transpired! Upon arriving in Kalyanpur, the familiar rush from counter to counter began. Ultimately, I managed to secure three tickets for Shah Fateh Ali Paribahan, located in the very last row. One of the seats in the last row was damaged. Additionally, the AC switch above was also malfunctioning, resulting in exposure to the harsh cold wind. When the supervisor attempted to prevent the bus from breaking down with plastic sheeting, it became evident that the AC switches on the three front seats were similarly defective! This exemplifies their provision of 'luxurious' service! A counter employee at Shah Fateh Ali mentioned that he had sold tickets for a few trips since morning to about 10 passengers who had purchased tickets online and were subsequently 'trapped,' as he described it. In reality, unscrupulous transport workers aim to 'trap' the public in this manner, thereby reinstating the era of long queues and pushing at the counter! This is particularly relevant now that a new government has taken office this year. The initial months following a change in government are always a critical period. If we can leverage this period to instigate a crisis of trust among the public regarding the online ticketing system, the overarching theme of creating chaos is 'fascist.'


If the regulations established by the government are lifted, the online ticketing system may be discontinued! Since the implementation of the online ticketing system, there have been numerous unexpected trip cancellations this time, a situation that did not occur in previous years. Additionally, traffic congestion during this Eid journey was less severe than in the past, and the bus schedule remained uninterrupted. Therefore, why have tickets purchased through online platforms been canceled repeatedly? Online ticketing platforms must also bear some responsibility. Receiving a trip cancellation notice just half an hour before the commencement of the Eid journey is undoubtedly distressing for anyone. It leaves individuals feeling powerless, and their Eid plans are thrown into disarray. For instance, if someone is traveling to Bogra or Rangpur for Eid and is forced to remain in Dhaka due to the cancellation of the Dhaka journey, what will happen to their advance return ticket to Dhaka? They will not receive a refund, as the terms must be accepted prior to purchasing the ticket, which states that there will be no refunds for tickets ten days before and after Eid! However, can the bus operator or online ticketing platform cancel the trip at any time without providing an alternative arrangement? An alternative arrangement could involve securing tickets for the next available trip. While this is feasible during regular times, what will occur before Eid? In such cases, the regulatory authority (BRTA) must impose a legal requirement on bus operators, stating, ‘During the ten days before and after Eid, any trip schedule may be altered in exceptional circumstances, but it cannot be canceled under any circumstances. If necessary, a bus must be rented, and the trip must proceed. Should any trip be entirely canceled during these ten days, a penalty of ten times the revenue from that trip will be enforced.’ Concurrently, it should also be mandated that, ‘If the online ticketing platform cancels a trip independently, the platform fee cannot be deducted from the customer. This fee must be coordinated with the operator. Only if the customer cancels the trip will the platform fee apply.' The BRTA regulations must be enforced accordingly.

The necessity of online ticketing has become increasingly evident and is now a reality. This system is no longer subject to elimination. However, the detrimental cycle may continue to inconvenience the average customer by introducing complexities within this system. It is incumbent upon the government and the regulatory authorities to protect the customer from such inconveniences.