Gopalpur Bus Terminal: A nightmare for passengers

There is no permanent bus terminal in Tangail's Gopalpur upazila, causing immense sufferings to commuters as well as transport owners and workers.

Around 140 Dhaka-bound passenger buses from the upazila remain parked on the busy main road in the area, causing nuisance as the temporary rented bus terminal was affected by the recent floods.  

Consequently, passengers face problems to get on and down from the vehicles on the road which creates traffic jam here regularly. 

The bus owners of Gopalpur said as the upazila has no permanent bus terminal, they are compelled to park their vehicles at a place in Nandanpur area of the municipal town, which was rented four decades ago.

They added that the temporary bus stand, however, has turned unusable after it was affected by the floods and heavy rains. As a result, they are compelled to park their vehicles on the busy road.

Not only traffic jam but also small accidents are happening almost every day because of parking numerous buses on the busy road at a two kilometre stretch from Nanadanpur to Someshpur area in the municipality town, said KM Mithu, a rights activist in Gopalpur.

Mohammad Selim Hossain, a resident of the municipality area, said the vehicles should not be parked on the road and the authorities concerned should arrange a permanent bus terminal here to resolve the longstanding problem.

Mohammad Mamun, another dweller of the municipal town, said the syndicate of local bus owners is so powerful.

He added the syndicate does not allow buses of outsiders from Gopalpur to ply the route, depriving local passengers from getting better bus services.

He further added that so the authorities should ensure availability of better bus services from the upazila. Due to this, they should construct a permanent bus terminal in the area. 

Asked about the matter, Rafiqul Islam Muqul, general secretary of Gopalpur Bus Owners' Association, however, said the bus owners and transport workers mainly face serious problem here for not having any permanent bus terminal in the town.

"We have been demanding construction of a permanent bus terminal in Someshpur area of the municipality town for long but nothing was done in this regard so far," he added.

Ashraful Kabir Azad, general secretary of Transport Workers Union in Gopalpur, said the transport workers, including the drivers and helpers of the buses, have been facing immense sufferings due to lack of a permanent bus terminal in the upazila.

There are no facilities of washroom and restroom for the transport workers in the area, he said.     

Contacted, Rakibul Haque Khan Chhana, mayor of the municipality, said they are looking for a suitable place in the area for construction of a permanent bus terminal.

He hopes that they can start construction work of a terminal in the area as soon as possible.