Low Passenger Volume, Fare Irregularities Reported

On the first day of the official public holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr, many residents began their journey from Dhaka to their hometowns. Surprisingly, the Sayedabad Bus Terminal experienced a noticeably lower volume of passengers, while reports emerged of several bus routes charging higher-than-official fares.

Between early morning and 1:00 pm on Tuesday, a survey of Sayedabad and Jatrabari areas revealed that, although passengers were waiting at most bus counters, the overall crowd was sparse. Notably, buses operating on routes to Chittagong, Comilla, Habiganj, Laksam, and Raipura saw fewer travellers than expected.

At around noon, the Golden Line counter for the Barishal–Faridpur route witnessed a modest crowd. During this period, a passenger named Mahbubur Rahman, travelling to Faridpur, claimed that an additional 300 Taka had been charged for his luggage.

Reports from the Arman Enterprise service to Khulna indicated inconsistent fare collection. Normally, tickets cost 500 Taka, but one passenger reported paying 600 Taka and another 750 Taka. The bus master clarified, “Our standard fare is 500 Taka. If tickets are issued online or at certain counters, the price may be higher.”

Similarly, on the Medina Classic route to Khulna, a journalist inquiring about fares was quoted 700 Taka. Upon explaining their identity, the bus master admitted that the higher fare was an unintentional error.

Conversely, some bus operators have been selling tickets below government-regulated fares, citing low passenger numbers as the reason. For instance, the director of the Mobarak Transport counter to Sylhet noted, “The official fare is 700 Taka, but we are currently charging 600–650 Taka due to low passenger demand.”

Transport workers expressed concern about the subdued passenger flow. An employee from a Chittagong-bound bus company remarked, “During Eid, we usually see a high volume of travellers. However, this year, that peak has yet to materialise. If the garment factories close today, we may see an increase in passengers.”

The Sayedabad–Jatrabari corridor and surrounding areas experienced severe traffic congestion, typical of Eid departures, despite the lower passenger numbers at the terminals.

The following table summarises reported fare variations across key routes:

Overall, while roads and terminals faced traffic congestion, irregularities in fare collection and low passenger turnout highlighted the challenges of managing Eid transport this year.