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Published : 25 May 2026, 11:48 PM
Millions of Eid travellers are once again facing inflated fares and risky journeys as weak oversight enables transport operators to exploit the holiday rush, passengers say.
Bus operators openly charged fares far above regular rates at Dhaka terminals on Monday, arguing they must offset losses from near-empty return trips to the capital.
With tickets for well-known and comparatively comfortable services largely sold out in advance, even “low-end” buses were charging fares similar to premium operators as desperate passengers scrambled for any available seat, passengers complained.
On Monday, the first day of the Eid-ul-Azha holiday, passenger rush was relatively low at Sayedabad Bus Terminal, a major hub for the country’s southern and eastern routes.
Those who secured advance tickets waited orderly at their counters.
Following a midday spell of rain, a stream of ticketless commuters arrived, and “low-end” bus operators immediately moved in to cash in on their desperation.
Hand-written tickets for the BMF Paribahan bound for Barishal were being sold at Tk 800 per passenger -- a route where reputable operators normally charge around Tk 500 to Tk 550 -- at the terminal gates.
Defending the hike, identifying himself only as Monir, an employee of the bus service offered the industry's perennial justification.
"The bus will go there, but won't it have to return to pick you up again? We won't find a single passenger on the return trip. Where will we get the fuel cost? This extra fare during Eid is not unusual," he said.
Faridul Alam, a private sector employee waiting for a ticket, expressed his helplessness at the way BMF Paribahan was acting.
Unable to buy a ticket in advance since he was not sure about when he would get the leave to start the journey home, Faridul said he was being charged an extra Tk 300 for the ticket.
Hanif Paribahan counter staff member Mehedi, identified with a single name, confirmed they were completely sold out of seats.
Some operators skipped selling tickets at counters entirely, choosing instead to lead passengers directly to the vehicles to demand cash.
For the Khulna route, where popular services normally cost Tk 650, an employee named Al-Amin from the nearly empty Mamun Paribahan counter led a reporter straight to a bus and demanded Tk 800.
The exploitation extended to western and eastern routes as well.
For the Lakshmipur route, where the standard fare is Tk 400 to Tk 450, Jonaki Paribahan was openly selling tickets from its counter at Tk 600.
Another operator on the route, Al Arafah, was charging Tk 500.
"Is it even possible in this country that Eid comes and buses don't charge extra fares?" asked Omar Faruk, a passenger bound for Lakshmipur.
"We always hear the ministers giving speeches, but in reality, we have to pay extra to go home every single Eid."
A counter officer at Jonaki Paribahan claimed the government-regulated fare was Tk 550.
"We are only taking Tk 20-30 extra. It’s not a big premium. We are just charging a flat Tk 600 to avoid the hassle of loose change," he claimed.
On the Sylhet route, Al Mobaraka Paribahan -- a local service that typically charges Tk 400 to Tk 450 -- was demanding Tk 650, matching the prices of premium brands.
Kawsar, a counter clerk, justified it by saying: "At other times, we drop and pick up passengers at multiple points. Today it's a direct service, so we are actually charging less."
Similarly, Yasin Express was seen charging Tk 800 for Chittagong, with staff claiming it was a bargain for an "AC bus service".
Despite government assurances of strict monitoring, transport operators continued to pick up passengers from curbside counters on the main roads outside the terminal throughout the day.
Amid the ongoing fare anarchy, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Abdus Salam visited the Sayedabad Terminal on Monday afternoon with promises of future modernisation.
"An initiative has been taken to quickly modernise the Sayedabad Bus Terminal to alleviate Dhaka's traffic congestion and manage the Eid holiday rush," Salam said.
