Increased price of advance bus tickets bemoaned

Buyers of advance bus tickets on Friday complained about increased prices. Transport operators at Gabtoli bus terminal and Kalyanpur bus counters started selling advance tickets for the northern and southern districts on the day. A large number of people gathered at different ticket counters including Nabil, Shyamoli, Hanif, TR Travels, Shohagh and Eagle transports early in the morning. They were seen standing in long queues to buy ticket till afternoon but staff of the counters were seen doing nothing to control the queues, leaving the women to suffer to get the tickets. Staff at the counters said the demand for the tickets meant for journey on July 15 and July 16 was the highest. Shukur Ali, a madrassah student, who came to the counter of Nabil Paribahan, said he bought a ticket for a journey on July 17 on Dhaka-Kurigram route at Tk 700. According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, the fare for a journey from Dhaka (Gabtoli) to Kurigram is Tk 527.53, including toll. Another man Diganta at Shyamoli Paribahan counter said he purchased a ticket for a journey to Dinajpur on July 16 at Tk 650 while the BRTA fare for a journey from Dhaka (Gabtoli) to Dinajpur is Tk 494.18, including toll. People at the counters alleged that during every festival it became a rule to charge extra from passengers. Staff of the private bus operators, however, said they were following the fare chart prepared by Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners’ Association, which was approved by the government. The chart prepared by the association was seen hanging at most of the counters at Gabtoli terminal. The tickets will be sold till they are available, said the countermen. Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation will start selling advance tickets on July 10, officials have said. Bangladesh Railway is likely to start selling tickets on July 9, said officials. News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net