The people rush in to get into a bus at Agrabad intersection in the port city.Photo: STAR

A chaotic situation has been continuing in transport sector as the passengers and the transport workers have altercations over realisation of new bus fare everyday.
It is now a regular incident at every route. In some places these altercations turn into clashes. Most of the incidents have been occurring between the passengers of short distance and the staff of the buses and mini buses. The passengers said the incidents began as the staffs demand extra fare from them.
Situation went from bad to worse when government fixed a new fare for the vehicles affective from May 19. According to the new chart, the lowest fare was fixed at Tk 5 for minibus and Tk 7 for bus per head. From the next kilometre (km) the charge will be Tk 1.45 for minibus while Tk 1.55 for bus.
Nazrul Islam, a banker, said it took only Tk 3 to go to Second Gate intersection from his residence at Bahodderhat. But now the bus staffs charge Tk7 for the same distance, he added.
Nazrul said the city dwellers know the cause of bus fare hike and they have already accepted this. But the staffs demand extra fare for lack of government's surveillance, he said, adding that the government should fix fare for the short distance. Taking its advantage, the owners and staff of the buses and the mini buses are doing the same, he said.
Naima Islam, a Chittagong University student, said the fare from the campus to Kazir Dewari intersection was Tk 15, new fare is Tk16, but the bus staffs are charging Tk18.
Another passenger of the minibus Sarwar Hossain who travelled from Chittagong University to New market had no objection about the fare as he said according to the new chart the fare was Tk 26 and he paid Tk 20.
When asked why they are taking less fare, Rafique, helper of the minibus, said it is a decision of the Minibus Owners' Association.
Rafique refused to answer when he was asked why they demand different fares for the same stoppage of this road.
Raihanul Haque Chowdhry, Line and Publication Secretary of Chattala Bus-Minibus Human Hauler Transport Owners' Association said they have not enhanced fare like other parts of the country. Referring to the fare of Chittagong University to New Market route, he said they have been giving loss Tk 6 per head.
Raihan blamed the staff of the buses and minibuses for realising extra fare from the passengers which is resulting in an altercation.
This is not happening only in these routes but also a common picture of all the routes of port city. New Market is the centre point of the city. All buses move from there to different routes including Bahadderhat, Colonel Hat, Bandar Tilla, Katgor Patenga and Oxygen intersection.
Abul Kalam Azad, secretary general of District Road Transport Owners Group, denying the allegation, said they have been taking the fare fixed by the government. He said a section of passengers do not want to give the government-fixed fare. He, however, admits that some times staffs of the buses demand extra fare.
He said to avoid the altercation and for a permanent solution to the problem bus owners already talked to the district administration to start counter bus service in the city to bring normalcy in the transport sector.
Deputy Commissioner of Traffic of Chittagong Metropolitan Police Faruk Ahmed said charging extra fare in the port city is a stray incident. Faruk said in some places the bus and minibus owners have been charging less fare from the passengers.
Faruk said a process is going on to launch the counter bus service in the city.