Few buses leaving or entering capital for lack of passengers

Dhaka's bus connectivity with other parts of the country was badly disrupted on the first day of the three-day nationwide blockade as almost no bus left Gabtoli, Sayedabad and Mohakhali bus stands due to scarcity of passengers.

BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami announced the blockade separately on Sunday.

Gabtoli Bus Terminal

While visiting Gabtoli bus terminal area, our reporter found most of the ticket counters open but the number of passengers very low.

Liton Khan, an employee of Rafi Traders Limited, the terminal's revenue collection company, told The Daily Star, "Buses were supposed to leave [Gabtoli] this morning. However, no revenue has been collected since morning as no long-distance bus operated due to lack of passengers."

Shahriar Shuvo, ticket master of Hanif Enterprise, told The Daily Star, "Around 20 vehicles were supposed to leave the terminal on several routes by this morning. But no vehicle left due to scarcity of passenger.

"I have sold two or four tickets. Later, I had to refund the money. It is not possible to start a long-distance route with such a small number of passengers," Shuvo said.

"If we get enough passengers, we will operate buses," he added.

The same information has been received from Shyamoli and other transport companies.

Rakibul Islam, a passenger waiting for a bus at Gabtoli, said, "I have been waiting here since 7:00am to go to Jhenaidah. There are buses, but no passengers. The counter said buses would operate when there is a sufficient number of passengers."

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of Awami League and its affiliates were seen sitting at the main gate of Gabtoli Bus Terminal.

Mohakhali Bus Terminal

Only 10 buses left Mohakhali Inter-district Bus Terminal till 12:00pm, Osman Ali, general secretary of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, said.

Osman, who is now at the bus terminal, said, "Buses did not leave the terminal due to a lack of passengers."

While visiting the terminal around 11:30am, this correspondent found all buses parked next to the street or inside the terminal.

When this correspondent went to the counter of Ena Transport, they said they were operating buses only if they got a minimum of 25 passengers.

Sayedabad Bus Terminal

A number of commuters who came to Dhaka for urgent work from Chattogram have found themselves stranded at Sayedabad Bus Terminal.

One of them, Nazmul, said, "I came to Dhaka for urgent work, and I am now in a great crisis. There are many urgent tasks at home. I have to return. But I don't know when a bus will come and when I'll be able to return home."

Two counters of Shyamoli Paribahan, one of the country's largest transport companies, remained closed, leaving passengers frustrated.

Mohammad Swapan, a counterman at Kadija Paribahan, said, "No buses have entered Dhaka since morning. And if no buses enter, we won't be able to provide outgoing services to passengers."

Ukil Ali, the manager-in-charge of Unique Paribahan, confirmed, "No buses have left Dhaka till 11:00am."

However, three Khulna and Barishal-bound buses of Falguni and Dola Paribahan departed from Sayedabad bus terminal by 11:00am, as reported by their counter staffers Mohammad Sumon and Masum.

They said, "During blockade, people won't stop living their lives. They have urgent tasks and need to go outside Dhaka. We are running buses even during the hartal for public service."