Operators double fare, run buses at full capacity flouting COVID health protocol

Heated disputes over extra fare and flagrant breach of coronavirus health guidance have marked the restart of long-haul bus services ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

Fewer passengers travelled on Thursday, with the transporters complaining that increasing the fare by 60 percent and running at half the capacity as per government orders to ensure social distancing will leave them with no profits.

Some of the transporters were fined for the breach of the coronavirus health rule.

Many did not keep hand sanitiser available or cleaned the buses with disinfectant.

Long-haul bus services were closed along with all other motorised passenger transportation when the government enforced a lockdown to curb rapidly rising infections on Jul 1.

It lifted the lockdown from Jul 15 to Jul 23 morning for the Eid, which will be observed on Jul 21.    

Normal activities returned to the bus terminals in Dhaka’s Gabtoli and Sayedabad, but the number of passenger was not as expected, with the festival a week away.  

Shyamoli Paribahan, Hanif Paribahan, Comfort Line, Diganta Paribahan, SB Paribahan, Zaman Paribahan and other transport companies were selling advance tickets at Gabtoli for Eid travel.     

“They’re asking for Tk 900. When I wanted to know if the seat next to mine will be unoccupied, they wouldn’t guarantee it. They said it was highly likely that every seat will be occupied,” said Shafiqul Islam, who bought a Sakura Paribahan ticket to Pirojpur.

“They’re selling tickets for all the seats while charging double the fare. It’s daylight robbery. Isn’t there anyone to see this irregularities?” he asked. “And we’re helpless because we’ve to return home.

Shakhawat Hossain, who was selling tickets at Sakura Paribahan counter, said, “We need a lot of money for every trip. It takes Tk 16,000 to Tk 18,000 if we make a trip from Dhaka to Barishal. We’ll get a total of Tk 16,000 if we charge 60 perent extra fare and travel at half the capacity. Then how much will the owner keep and how much will he give us?”         

He said the company has been fined Tk 3,000 for taking more passengers than the permitted level.

“Not only us, but many others are also secretly charging double fare and selling tickets for each seat,” Shakhawat said.

“We could’ve carried half the passengers if it were not Eid. The buses will have no passenger on the return trip to Dhaka. So the losses will mount,” argued Sohel Mia, an official of Diganta Paribahan.

“The fare is naturally high because we’re running at half the capacity. Moreover, delays for four to five hours on ferries have left us with fewer buses to operate,” said Zakir Mallick, who works at Hanif Paribahan counter.

Sreekanta Kumar Sikder of Shyamoli Paribahan said they were following all the government orders.

At Sayedabad, the transport workers hope the number of passengers will increase on Friday.

“Maybe we’ll get Eid holidaymakers tomorrow,” said Jasim Uddin of Unique Paribahan.