Bus tickets 'sold out' within hours

Advance bus tickets for Eid holidaymakers were almost gone within a few hours they were up for sale in the capital yesterday.

Hundreds of people waited in queues at inter-district bus counters since early morning, but could not buy tickets for July 14, 15 and 16. The Eid-ul-Fitr will be either on July 17 or 18.

Ticket-seekers alleged that bus operators charged them higher fares than usual, taking an undue advantage of the huge demand for tickets.

Visiting several bus counters in Kalyanpur, Technical and Gabtoli areas, this correspondent saw chaotic scenes there as many people could not get tickets for their desired dates.

“I need two tickets to Rajshahi for July 16. But the counter staff said tickets for that day were sold out, though the sale of tickets started just about five hours ago,” said Mizanur Rahman at a counter of Shyamoli Paribahan in Technical area.

Posing as a passenger, this correspondent asked for tickets to at least 10 districts including Rangpur, Kushtia, Joypurhat, Chapainawabganj, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Bogra and Naogaon for July 14, 15 and 16.

But the staff at the counters of Shyamoli Paribahan, SR Paribahan and Hanif Paribahan said they had no ticket for July 15 and 16. A ticket seller, however, said he could manage one for a late night trip on July 14 and the seat would be at the back of a bus.

Some ticket-seekers came and bought tickets quite easily as they had references from influential people or bus operators.

Around 3:00pm, a man came to the counter of Shyamoli Paribahan in Technical area with a slip of paper and asked for tickets to Rajshahi between 8:00am to 10:00pm on July 16.

As he produced the slip of paper before the counter staff, he was asked to choose a starting time between 8:00am to 10:00am. Soon he got the tickets.

Asked about the slip of paper, he said it was from an influential person close to the management of the bus operator.

HIGHER FARES CHARGED

Many people complained bus operators were charging them higher fares than usual.

“I travel from Dhaka to Jhenidah for Tk 450. But now the same bus operator is asking for Tk 550,” said Morshedul Islam, a government employee.

Mesbah Uddin said he bought a ticket to Natore for July 17. He paid Shyamoli Paribahan Tk 560 for the ticket, up by Tk 180 from its regular price.

Yasin Ali paid SR Travels Tk 500 for a ticket to Bogra for July 13. A month ago, the bus operator had charged him Tk 350.

Bus operators, however, claimed that they were charging passengers as per the rate chart fixed by the government.

“Throughout the year, we charge passengers lower fares than the rates set by the government due to a tough business competition. But during the Eid season, we sell tickets as per the government-decreed fares,” said Mosharraf Hossain, general manager of Hanif Paribahan.

Ramesh Chandra Ghosh, managing director of Shyamoli Paribahan, blamed the crisis of tickets on its high demand.

Also the vice-chairman of Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners Association, Ramesh warned that stern action will be taken if anyone is found selling tickets on the black market.

Meanwhile, the state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) will start selling tickets on July 10 and Bangladesh Railway on July 9 for the Eid holidaymakers.