Sufferings mount

When Syed Rafiqul Islam arrived at the Rupatoli Bus Stand in Barisal with his wife and children to catch a bus for Pirojpur, he did not know what was in store for him.

He was startled to know about the suspension of all buses from Rupatoli Bus Stand and that his bus would leave from Raiapur bus stop, which is seven kilometers away from Rupatoli. “… Now I have to board an auto-rickshaw to catch a bus from Raiapur, which is troublesome and risky,” he said.

Along with him, hundreds of other passengers of south-western areas have been suffering as all bus services from Ruaptoli Bus Stand have remained suspended since Monday.

Passengers of six routes of Barisal with Pirojpur, Bhandaria, Pathorghata, Jhalakathi, Amua, and Khulna are suffering the most.

The transport halt started following an internal clash between Barisal and Jhalakathi bus owners' associations, according to sources in both the associations.

However, Jhalakathi bus owners' body arranged a temporary bus stand at Raiapur, seven kilometers away from Rupatoli, to relieve commuters from the sufferings.

Now passengers are forced to pay high fares to auto rickshaw for crossing the seven kilometer between Rupatoli and Raipur. 

“We have to count double fares for going to Jhalakathi,” said Nurjahan Aktar, a school teacher.

Sardar Md Shah Alam, president of Jhalakathi Bus Owners' Association, said, “We have been forced to cut off all ties with Barisal Bus owners association at Ruapatoli Bus Stand as they always deprive us of our rights."

“We have to pay extra toll to Barisal Association for using Rupatoli bus stand,” he added.

Md Bahadur, secretary of Jhalakathi Bus Sramik Union, said, “We have tried to settle the issue but they don't respond to our demands.” 

Previously, both the bus owners' associations locked in some clashes at different times.

Denying all allegations, Kawser Hossain, secretary of Barisal Bus Owners' Association, said, “It is a whimsical decision of Jhalakathi Bus owners' association.”  

Uttom Kumar Roy, deputy commissioner (traffic), said  the commissioner of Barisal division called a meeting yesterday afternoon to settle the issue.

However, the outcome of the meeting could not be known immediately.