Eid tickets vanish

People wishing to spend Eid holidays with their dear ones queue up at this bus counter at Kalyanpur in the capital from 4:00am yesterday to buy tickets in advance. Bus operators, however, said all tickets up to September 30 have been sold.Photo: STAR

Most private bus services operating on the routes to county's southern, south-western and northern parts from the capital have already sold out advance tickets for Eid journey from September 28 to 30.
The private bus operators have already hiked ticket fares by Tk 50 to 150 on various routes ahead of the Eid.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Railway (BR), which will operate seven additional trains on different routes, will start selling advance tickets from today.
Hundreds of homebound people yesterday thronged ticket counters at Gabtoli, Shyamoli, and Kalyanpur in the city to buy advance tickets.
Many of them said they had to buy tickets at increased prices despite the government measures to prevent the transport operators from charging passengers extra fares.
About two million homebound people are expected to leave the capital ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose told The Daily Star, "We have taken measures to prevent the transport operators from charging extra fares and stop other irregularities."
"Apart from mobile courts, complaint centres have been set up at all terminals," the BRTA chairman said adding that the measures will remain in force for 10 days after the Eid.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Naim Ahmed said, "Plainclothes policemen and members of intelligence agencies have been deployed at all bus, launch and railway terminals to check irregularities in the sale of ticket as well as maintain law and order."
Additional Director General (ADG) of Rab Col Gulzar Uddin Ahmed said, "Rab teams remain alert at every terminal so that homebound people are not cheated or harassed."
Bangladesh Railway said it would start selling advance tickets from today on all routes while the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is yet to begin selling advance tickets.
"I went to Gabtoli to buy three tickets for September 28 or 29 to go to Khulna, but I could not get any ticket. Now I have come to Shyamoli with a hope to get tickets," said Rafiq, a university student.
"Bus fare from Dhaka to Panchagarh is Tk 420, but now bus operators are charging Tk 570," said Hasina, who went to the Hanif bus counter in the city's Shyamoli.
A ticket seller of Hanif Enterprise said bus fares on Dhaka-Saidpur and Dhaka-Naogaon routes are Tk 340 and Tk 280, but now they are charging Tk 450 and Tk 320 respectively.
However, ticket sellers at bus counters at Gabtoli, Kalyanpur, Kalabagan, Bijoy Nagar, Arambagh and Fakirerpool claimed that they are not charging more than the government-fixed fares.
Assistant General Secretary of Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners' Association Khwaja Golam Morshed Pintu told The Daily Star, "During the off-season, we charge less than the government-fixed fares. But when we charge government-fixed fares during occasions, it is assumed that we are charging extra fares."
Most bus services started selling advance tickets from September 15. Eagle and Shohag Paribahan, however, said they would begin selling advance tickets within a day or two.
Bus services run under various associations at Mohakhali and Sayedabad bus terminals said they would start selling advance tickets from 20th Ramadan.
Bangladesh Railway Director General Belayet Hossain said, "We have arranged seven extra trains to be operated on various routes. Besides, measures have been taken to check irregularities."
"Our officials will remain vigilant at every station where advance tickets will be sold," he added.
Railway sources said advance tickets of all inter-city trains will be sold from 8:00am to 4:00pm from September 18 to 24.
Sources said, the special trains will be operated on Dhaka-Dewanbazar, Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Rajshahi, Chittagong-Chandpur (two trains), Chittagong-Comilla and Ishwardi-Sirajganj Bazar routes before the Eid.
Tickets for September 25 will be sold on September 18 while for Sept 26 on Sept 19, for Sept 27 on Sept 20, for Sept 28 on Sept 21, for Sept 29 on Sept 22, for Sept 30 on Sept 23.
Moreover, tickets for October 1 will be sold on September 24 at Dhaka Airport, Joydevpur, Chittagong and Sylhet stations.
Meanwhile, the BR authorities have decided to operate trains on weekly holidays from September 24 till the day before the Eid and from the day after the Eid to October 9.
Extra compartments will be added to all passenger trains, including the inter-city trains, sources said.