Our Correspondent :
Crowds are forming at Paturia ferry ghat and Aricha from Daulatdia of Rajbari district as holidaymakers started to return to Dhaka after celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr at their village homes.
But after getting off the ferries, they are facing transport crisis due to suspension of long-distance transport services.
Finding no transport, they are hiring motorcycles, private cars and microbuses to reach Dhaka.
They claimed that they are paying five to six times more than the usual fare.
Aduri Zaman Borna, a Dhaka-bound passenger from Faridpur, said, “I work in an insurance company. I went to my village to celebrate Eid. I’m returning to Dhaka today. On my way to the village, I had paid Tk 600 to reach Paturia from Dhaka’s Gabtoli by a motorcycle.”
“Today, I’m going to Gabtoli from Paturia sharing a motorcycle ride with another woman. We are paying Tk 1,200 (Tk 600 each). Microbuses and private cars are demanding Tk 700 per person whereas the regular fare from Gabtoli to Paturia is Tk 100 only. We wouldn’t have faced this trouble if public transports were available.”
Five to six people travelling in a private car have to pay Tk 400 each.
Asked about the reason for charging extra, a driver named Sohrab said, “We also have to pay at different points. If we do not charge extra, we will be left without any profit.”
Talking to this correspondent, Superintendent of Police in Manikganj Rifat Rahman Shamim said, “Dhaka-bound people are facing transport crisis due to the restriction on public transport movement. Taking the advantage, cars are charging extra. We are trying to increase the number of local buses to tackle the situation.”
Meanwhile, 16 and four ferries are running on Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat ghats respectively. People returning from 21 southern districts and Pabna and Sirajganj of western part are crossing the river without any hassle as sufficient number of ferries are operating today, said Md Zillur Rahman, BIWTC’s Deputy General Manager (Commerce) of Aricha Regional Office.
