Eid travelers endure severe suffering, fare hike chaos on highways

Thousands of homebound passengers faced severe difficulties at bus stands in Savar and Ashulia during the Eid holiday rush. People complained about a severe shortage of buses, unavailability of tickets, lack of seating even with tickets, and excessive fares.

Many passengers waited for hours without finding a bus. Some local travelers even started walking to their destinations.

From Thursday (June 5) morning, huge crowds gathered at various bus stands like Nabinagar, Baipail, and Ashulia. Though there were long queues for long-distance buses, the expected buses were arriving 3 to 5 hours late. Even those who bought tickets in advance or at high prices were forced to wait for hours.

Taking advantage of the situation, some dishonest transport owners and workers charged fares much higher than usual. Passengers claimed they were being asked to pay 1.5 to 2 times more than the normal price.

A counter master of a bus on the Nabinagar-Chandra route, speaking anonymously, said, “There’s too much pressure on the buses. Some have broken down, which has messed up the schedule. As for the fare, it's controlled from the top — there's nothing we can do.”

Abdullah Al Mamun, a passenger heading to Rangpur, said, “I bought a Hanif Paribahan ticket a week ago. The bus was scheduled for 10 am but arrived after 3 pm. At the counter, they said the bus was stuck in traffic. It’s been really tough with my family.”

Rubina Akter, a passenger traveling to Cumilla, said, “I have a small child and couldn’t get a ticket. I thought I’d travel standing if needed. But no buses are coming. The few that do arrive are completely packed. We feel like hostages.”

Local bus and public transport users also suffered. Due to the lack of vehicles, many chose to walk to their destinations.

A passenger from Baipail heading to Dhamrai said, “I waited for half an hour for a bus. They’re asking for high fares and still not letting us board. So, I started walking.”

Savar Highway Police is working tirelessly to ease the suffering of Eid travelers, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) Saleh Ahmed.

He said, “We are doing our best to reduce traffic congestion. We’ve also received complaints about bus shortages and fare hikes. If passengers lodge specific complaints, we are taking action.”

“Due to traffic jams, many buses are unable to arrive on time, causing schedule disruptions. We’re monitoring bus counters to prevent overcharging,” the OC added.