Hundreds of people are still looking for bus tickets as they failed to buy them on Friday when the sales of advance tickets started to facilitate the journey of homebound passengers on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Many ticket aspirants alleged that a large number of bus tickets for July 14, 15 and 16 had been sold to black marketeers, forcing them to purchase tickets at much higher prices. However, bus operators denied the allegation brought against them.
After visiting the bus counters at Panthapath, Kalabagan, College Gate, Shyamoli, Kalyanpur, Technical and Gabtoli, the FE found that hundreds of ticket aspirants were trying hard to get tickets.
Md Afsan Haider, a private bank official, told the FE at Hanif Paribahan Shyamoli counter on Saturday that he was looking for tickets to travel by Nilphamari-bound bus on July 16.
"Counter managers told me that there is no ticket left for the day," he said.
Later, he bought three tickets at Tk 1,250 each instead of fixed price of Tk 720 from a man who was standing outside the counter, he claimed.
Mr Haider said he had several tickets for July 13 to July 17 and would sell those to interested persons.
Md Atiqul Islam, an NGO official, came to SR Paribahan counter to get Rangpur-bound A/C bus tickets for July 15.
"I have failed to get tickets, although I have been standing in a queue since early Friday," he said. Counter managers told them that all A/C bus tickets were sold out just within three hours after the start of official sales, he added.
"Later, a man identifying himself as an SR Paribahan employee assured me that he would manage four tickets for me on Saturday. And I have to give him some tips," he said.
However, many ticket seekers who failed to find any black marketeers were seen roaming from counter to counter to get bus tickets.
Md Hasanul Karim Sweet, ticketing booth manager at Nabil Paribahan, said bus employees have no scope for black marketing.
He claimed that tickets had been sold in presence of hundreds of ticket aspirants, law enforcers and media people.
People of northern and southern regions want to travel by some buses including those of SR, Hanif, Nabil, Shyamoli, Shohag, Green Line, Eagle, Agamani, Bablu, Desh and Pabna Express. "This puts immense pressure on such particular operators," he said.
Manager of Hanif Paribahan at Shyamoli Md Anisur Rahman pointed out that his bus has the capacity of 250 passengers per day against demand for 2,000.
President of Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners Association (BBTOA) Faruqe Talukder denied allegation of black marketing of tickets.
There is a shortage of bus tickets as demand is higher than the capacity of private bus operators, he said, adding that the association will take stern action against the bus operators, if found guilty of black marketing. According to bus operators and ticket aspirants, demand for tickets for July 14, 15 and 16 was much higher as Eid will be celebrated either on July 18 or July 19.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque said on Saturday the government would take stern action against those who would be found involved in selling of tickets in the black market.
"We will take stern action against the persons to be found involved in selling tickets in the black market. We will show zero tolerance to terrorism and drugs. We have taken adequate measures to keep the law and order normal during the Eid vacation," he told reporters after exchanging views with industry owners and labour leaders at Ashulia industrial police lines at Savar.
"We have given special instructions to the law enforcers in the capital and other parts of the country to ensure the security of homebound passengers during the Eid vacation," he said.
The IGP also called upon the industry owners to pay salary and festival bonus as per the joint decision taken by the government and the industry owners last week.
Director General of Industrial Police Abdus Salam presided over the meeting. Additional Inspector of Police Abul Kasem, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) AK Azad, former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Abdus Salam Murshedy and Dr Enamur Rahman MP, among others, were present.
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