Travellers suffer without direct bus service
As Eid approaches, several lakh travellers from four upazilas of Patuakhali are facing severe inconvenience, as direct bus service between these upazilas and Dhaka have been suspended.
This disruption sticks out since Padma Bridge's inauguration last year was supposed to make transportation on these routes more efficient and convenient. However, since the bus owners' association of Patuakhali discontinued their service, citing issues with route permits, ordinary passengers and businesses alike have been left in the lurch.
Deputy Commissioner Shariful Islam assured the public of resolving the issue, but with Eid fast approaching, no such steps have been taken yet.
According to sources, bus service between Baufal, Galachipa, Dashmina, and Dumki upazilas in Patuakhali and Dhaka began in 2000. Although such a service had been operational for the past 23 years on this route, the bus association discontinued it in August last year, claiming that the owners do not have permits from authorities concerned to continue operation.
However, the bus owners could not come up with satisfactory answers when asked how other upazilas of the same district have operational bus service.
Apart from ordinary passengers, these buses were also used to transport various agricultural products and fish.
This disruption sticks out since Padma Bridge's inauguration last year was supposed to make transportation on these routes more efficient and convenient. However, since the bus owners' association of Patuakhali discontinued their service, citing issues with route permits, ordinary passengers and businesses alike have been left in the lurch.
In October 2021, the launch of Payra Bridge in Patuakhali and Padma Bridge inauguration in June last year have made transportation on these routes more efficient, resulting in a significant increase in passenger and goods transport on these routes compared to ferry services.
Locals said at least 2,000 passengers from the upazilas travel to Dhaka every day.
Rashid, who works in Dhaka, said, "I can't get a direct bus to go home [Galachipa] during Eid. Last year, I went to my village directly from Dhaka by bus, but this year, I don't understand why buses are not operating."
Echoing the same, another individual, Anwar, said, "We are being deprived of the benefits of Padma Bridge."
Redwan Islam Shakil, a fish trader from Kalaiya in Baufal, said, "We send fish to Dhaka every day. Sending fish by bus is convenient for us and takes less time. But now, we are forced to send it via water-routes. Often, the fish does not reach Dhaka's market on time, and gets rotten."
Riaz Mridha, president of the bus owners' association in Patuakhali, said, "Long distance buses have permission to only enter Patuakhali town. From there, passengers are taken to different upazilas through local buses."
"If long-distance buses are permitted to enter upazilas, our local buses will suffer," he explained.
When asked why the same logic isn't applied for other places of the district including Kuakata, he said, "Since Kuakata is a tourist area, we don't want to hamper movement of long-distance buses there."
Contacted, Patuakhali District Administrator Md Shariful Islam said a discussion will be held with the association to find a solution.
MP SM Shahzada said, "People's suffering in the area must be reduced. The district administration should take steps to resolve the situation quickly."
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