Shohoz.com's ticket scam leave Eid passengers stranded at Kallyanpur

Hundreds of Eid-bound passengers were left stranded at Kallyanpur long-distance bus terminals on Thursday (March 19) after last-minute cancellations by online ticketing platform Shohoz.com, sparking confusion and frustration.

Passengers reported receiving cancellation messages just 30 minutes before their scheduled departure, leaving many with no alternative travel arrangements. A senior reporter on the scene also fell victim, having booked a Blue Line Express bus from Dhaka to Bogura–Naogaon for 9:00am, only to receive a cancellation notice at 8:30am.

Humayun Kabir, who had purchased two tickets for a midnight Blue Line Express trip on March 18, said he was informed by someone claiming to be a bus manager that his bus would depart at 7:00am Thursday. When he arrived, there were no buses operating, and the counters were unattended. Most Shohoz.com ticket holders faced similar last-minute cancellations.

Blue Line Express counters remained closed at 9:00am, while nearby counters were also shut. Officials at the Shah Fateh Ali counter said many passengers were forced to seek tickets from alternative bus services, most of whom had purchased tickets online.

An anonymous bus counter official alleged that some companies, including Blue Line, do not operate their own fleets but rent buses from other operators. Shohoz.com sells large volumes of tickets with hourly trip schedules, often canceling most trips at the last minute. The official suggested the platform may be complicit in this pattern of cancellations.

Police Sub-Inspector Md. Kabir arrived at the scene to calm the crowd and contacted a Blue Line Express official, who promised a bus within 30 minutes. By 9:45am, counter staff allowed only passengers who had purchased tickets in cash directly at the counter to board. Shohoz.com ticket holders were denied travel and told refunds would be issued within a month, further fueling passenger unrest.

Additional police were deployed to restore order, but none of the online ticket holders were able to travel.

Repeated attempts to reach Shohoz.com officials and customer care lines were unsuccessful. The platform has faced multiple allegations of fraud earlier this year, involving both train and bus ticket bookings.