Uncertainty looms large over the pensive faces of home-goers who tried to collect advance bus tickets for Eid journey, as the operators were charging \'exorbitant\' fare. The photo was snapped from a counter at Gabtoli in the capital on Monday. — FE Phot
The government's firm commitment not to allow additional charge for advance bus tickets went in vain, as bus operators are charging up to 82 per cent higher than the actual prices ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha festival.
Prices of tickets for September 19-24 of northern and north-western regions-bound air-conditioned (AC) buses have been increased by 40-82 per cent, and those of non-AC buses by 20-25 per cent, alleged passengers.
The private bus operators started selling advance bus tickets (for Sept 17-24) from Friday.
AC bus tickets for Rangpur, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Panchagarh were selling at Tk 1,450-2,000 at the counters of SR Paribahan, Nabil Paribahan, Agomony Express, Hanif Enterprise and Green Line against normal rate of Tk 800-1,100.
Highest fare hike was found at the Panchagarh-bound Hanif Volvo counter. The normal fare is Tk 1,100, which is now Tk 2,000, marking nearly an 82 per cent hike.
Nabil and SR Paribahan sold an AC ticket at Tk 1,500 for Dinajpur, which is Tk 900 at normal times, with a 67 per cent surge.
Apart from the AC buses, ticket prices of non-AC buses of all routes increased by 20-25 per cent.
A ticket aspirant claimed that he had to pay extra Tk 200 informally apart from the fixed price of Tk 2,000 for journey to Panchagarh in Hanif Volvo.
When asked, a counter manager of Hanif Paribahan at Shyamoli told the FE that the price is increased on every Eid occasion, and they are just repeating it.
Nabil Paribahan Manager Md Shafiq said AC bus tickets are fewer than demand, and the buses will have to return almost empty from the districts, forcing them to charge Tk 300-400 extra for AC tickets.
"But ticket prices of non-AC buses have increased just by Tk 50-80 each," he said.
When contacted, director (admin) of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Md Moshiar Rahman said BRTA directed all the inter-district private bus operators not to increase ticket price.
He said BRTA enforcement wing has started monitoring ticket selling procedures.
"We will take stern action if we find any operator guilty of charging extra fare ahead of Eid," he added.
Chairman of Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners' Association Md Faruk Talukder Sohel told the FE that operators should be responsible for unprecedented hike in ticket prices. The government agencies concerned should handle the matter with strict measures.
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