Reza Mahmud :
Advance sale of bus and railway tickets kicked off in the capital on Monday to ease sufferings of the home-bound passengers to celebrate the holy Eid-ul-Fitr with near and dear ones in their respective village homes and district towns.
Like the previous day, hundreds of people also thronged different bus counters and Kamalapur Railway Station and stood in queues since early Tuesday to collect tickets.
But most of home goers fail to get bus tickets for their desired days of June 21, 22 and 23, because the countermen said the selling of tickets for those certain days has already been completed on the very first day on Monday.
Many passengers also alleged against bus countermen for collecting extra money.
Besides, the train ticket seekers are also struggling to get tickets for appropriate dates.
The bus owners association started selling Eid advance tickets from Monday from counters and online. Huge gatherings were found on the first day in bus counters at Gabtoli, Shyamol, Mohakhali, Syedabad and other places in the capital for Eid advance tickets. But on Tuesday, the rush seemed less than the previous day as most of the ticket seekers alleged that they failed to get tickets for proper days they were seeking.
“I want to get advance bus tickets for June 21 or 22 to go to my home in Jessore. But I failed to get any bus companies ticket for those days. Lastly, I bought tickets for June 25. But it is not easy to be with my family in bus counter when they will leave Dhaka. My office is open on that day,” said Ashik Rizwan, Manager of a private firm in Motijheel.
Some passengers alleged that they get their desired days tickets from different bus counters after paying extra money.
“I get tickets for going to Gaibandha on June 23 by giving extra money. Some others also get tickets with me on Monday evening by giving extra money,” said one passenger, preferring anonymity.
Another passenger for Syedpur said, he got ticket after paying Tk 650 per seat. But the real price is 550. “They collected Tk 100 extra from everyone for Eid journey,” said the passenger.
Tashdeed Anam, a Khulna bound passenger said. “I got four tickets for June 24, for my family members, but I failed to get tickets for my desired days June 22 or 23. However, I am happy that we will celebrate holy Eid with all of my family members and relatives.”
“Tickets for June 21 to 23 is hot cake. Most of the passengers desired for those days tickets. So, those tickets were sold out soon after the selling started on Monday at 6:00am,” said Alam Chowdhury, Manager of Hanif Enterprise, in Gabtoli counter.
Some countermen from Barisal division bus counters said yesterday that they have few tickets for June 23 or 24.
In Kamalapur railway station, many passengers were found struggling to obtain tickets for their wanting days standing in long queue from the night. The railway also started selling Eid advance tickets from Monday.
Rail Minister Mujibul Haque visited Kamlapur railway station yesterday. He talked with ticket seekers in line.
Mujibul Haque said, “If any irregularities found, any one should inform me. I must take action.”
“I get four tickets for my family after waiting for six hours in line from 4:00am to 10:00am. But, I am so happy that we may able to observe the holy Eid with my parents in the village home in Dinajpur,” said Taseen Ahmed, an ICT student of a private university.
The rail officials from Kamlapur station said they sold tickets for June 21 on the firs day on Monday and for June 22 on Tuesday.
They will sell tickets for June 23, 24 and 25 respectively from June 14, 15 and 16.
Sell of return tickets will start from Rajshahi, Khulna, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Lalmonirhat from June 19.
