M M Jasim :
Hundreds of people on return to capital Dhaka from their village homes witnessed severe sufferings at Sadarghat launch terminal and other bus stations in the city due to scarcity of vehicles and excessive fare on Thursday.
A huge number of people were seen waiting at Sadarghat launch terminal to get respective transports in the morning. But they had to wait for long for buses and others vehicles.
Some of them were seen walking to their respective destinations.
Md Kamal Uddin, a teacher who came from Bhola, told The New Nation that he along with his wife and a three-year old daughter had to wait at least two hours at Sadarghat launch terminal as he did not get any bus to go to Mirpur.
“I waited about two hours to get a bus. Some buses came to the Sadarghat area but were not sufficient. It was just like war to get a sit in the bus,” he said.
Fatema Khatun, a 70-year old woman from Pirojpur, had to wait for at least three hours in the Sadarghat area for going to Savar as there was no available bus there.
“People were struggling for a seat in the bus. It is impossible for me to join the race. It is also undesirable that there was no adequate bus,” Fatema Khatun said.
Kalimullah Hawlader reached Gabtali bus terminal at 8:00am yesterday but did not get any bus for going to Jatrabari even after two hours.
“I came from Jeshore. It is very disgusting when we did not get any bus to go to our destination after 10 hours journey. It is our bad luck only,” he said.
Meanwhile, the bus drivers and conductors, CNG-run auto rickshaws drivers and even rickshaw pullers have compelled passengers to pay extra fare taking advantage of the scarcity of vehicles.
It is 11 kilometers from Sadarghat to Gabtali and the bus fare usually is Tk 25. But bus drivers and conductors are charging Tk 60-100 from each passenger.
Traffic police were also active on the roads. But many of the buses managed them and escaped soon.
Traffic Sergeant Jakir Hossain caught a bus at Rayshaeb Bazar intersection and fined Tk 2,500 for taking excessive fare from the passengers.
Jakir Hossain said, “I stopped the Gabtali-bound bus and asked the passengers about fare. They informed about extra fare and I lodged a case against the bus.”
“I also lodged many cases for the same incidents,” he said.
“The high-authority has asked us to maintain law and order strictly and take action against the vehicles who take extra fares,” the police official said.
Nizam Uddin, a private service holder, told this correspondent that he paid Tk 100 for going to Shahbag from Sadarghat by a bus (Bihanga Paribahan).
“I had no alternative without paying the extra fare as CNG-run auto rickshaw drivers demanded Tk 300 for going to Shahbag and rickshaw pullers Tk 200,” he said.
