Homebound people facing difficulties in getting tickets

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Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) President Abdul Hai Sarkar addressing a post-budget press conference in the city Monday. — FE Photo

Jasim Uddin Haroon
Homebound city people contemplating to celebrate the Eid-ul-Azha with their near and dear ones have been facing difficulties in getting bus, launch, train tickets as most of tickets have been sold in advance.
Hundreds of people are thronging mainly at Kamalapur railway station from mid night defying the chill to collect tickets for different destinations.
Elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and other law enforcing agencies have set up makeshift camps at the station and taken adequate measures to check black-marketeering and avert any unwanted occurrence.
Kamalapur Station manager Rezaul said that passengers are collecting tickets in queue and there is no complain of irregularities.
On the other hand, tickets for luxury bus services plying between the capital and major cities for December 6-9 have been sold in advance.
Sources at the luxuries bus services said there are some tickets for Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chittagong still unsold.
"We have around 10 per cent unsold tickets for December 7, 8 and 9, for Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet routes" said a senior sales official working at the Green Line.
He said: "No ticket are available for Dhaka-Rangpur, Dhaka-Rajshahi, Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Jessore routes."
Rubel Barua, a sales officer at Silkline, a leading air-conditioned bus services in Dhaka-Chittagong- Cox's Bazar, said they have around 10 per cent tickets unsold adding "But there are no tickets for December 10-13 on Dhaka-Cox's Bazar route."
Sources said people living in the coastal belts who want to celebrate this Eid in their homes have been facing untold suffering due to unavailability of launch tickets.
Sources said tickets for cabins have been booked and there are allegations that advance tickets for cabins are being sold at more than double the original prices.
Sahabudidn Milan, vice president of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Carriers (passenger) told the FE that all tickets for cabins have been sold in advance adding people will be able to travel on decks.
Sources said around 200 launches leave Sadarghat every day during Eid to different coastal districts including Barisal, Bhola, Patuakhali and Chandpur.
Besides, most of the private bus services operating on routes to the country's southern, south-western and northern districts from the capital have already sold out their advance tickets for December 7 to 9.
Passengers complained to the FE at Gabtoly area that tickets are being sold at higher prices in presence of the members of different law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Meanwhile, railway authorities started selling advance tickets from November 25 and hundreds of people are thronging at Kamalapur, Cantonment and Joydevpur stations every day to collect tickets.
Railway sources said they have arranged seven special trains and 40 extra coaches to facilitate the journey of homebound passengers during Eid-ul-Azha.
Apart from those trains, Bangladesh Railway (BR) operates a total of 66 intercity trains across the country. Besides, the railway authorities would allow over 50 percent standing passengers.
Railway sources said advance travel tickets for December 2 were sold out on November 25 while for December 3 on November 26, for December 4 on November 27, for December 5 on November 28, for December 6 on November 29 and for December 7 yesterday. Tickets for December 8 will be sold today.