Blockade: No buses leave Gabtoli terminal till afternoon

Inter-district bus services at Dhaka's Gabtoli bus terminal remain completely suspended on the first day of the 48-hour blockade enforced by BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

Most of the counters at Gabtoli bus terminal, one of the largest bus terminals in the capital, were found closed due to a lack of passengers and security concerns.

Only a few counters were open, but they could not operate any buses as there were not enough passengers.

Masud Rana, a staffer of Satkhira Express counter, said they opened the counter at 7:00am, but only three passengers went to them for tickets until 12:30pm.

"We need at least 25-30 passengers to operate a bus. Due to the blockade, people are afraid to travel," he said.

Rahmat Ullah, a passenger waiting for a Satkhira-bound bus, said he had been waiting for more than an hour, but there was no sign of any bus to operate.

"I came to Dhaka on urgent business, and I have to return to my home in Satkhira by today anyhow. But I don't know how I will manage it," he said.

Roni Ahmed, a staffer of Shyamoli NR Paribahan, said they had only three passengers from Panchagarh from 6:00am to 12:00pm.

"We asked them to leave, as we cannot run a bus with such a low number of passengers. Buses are not running due to the thin presence of passengers," he said.

Obaidur Rahman, who came to Dhaka yesterday for treatment, said he was not getting any bus to go back to his village in Khajura of Jashore.

"I went to Gabtoli bus terminal at 10:00am, but most of the counters are closed. Hanif Paribhan bus will go, but they will not leave the bus with one passenger," he said.

He said he faced no problem while coming from Mohakhali to Gabtoli bus terminal, but if the bus did not operate, he would have to go back to his relatives' house.