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Holidaymakers defy all odds on way home

| Updated: October 24, 2017 07:49:30


Holidaymakers defy all odds on way home

People have been paying extra for last-minute tickets out of Dhaka, according to bdnews24.com.

 

Huge crowds continued to descend on the bus terminals at the capital's Kalyanpur, College Gate and Gabtoli on Friday, a day before Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated.

 

They have reported delays of up to two hours besides soaring prices for tickets.

 

Most of these travellers are office employees who stayed back in the capital on Thursday, the last working day before the official three-day government holiday.

 

But there were also those who had advanced tickets and waited for their buses, while those without suffered long waits and uncertainty as they struggled to secure seats.    

 

"I bought a ticket for Gaibandha but it was quite costly. They usually charge Tk 800 for an AC bus ticket. But I got it for Tk 1,200 from Shyamoli Paribahan. And also paid Tk 100 bribe at the counter," said Nazmul, a bank employee who travelled from Chittagong to catch his bus from Dhaka's Kalyanpur.

 

Many people travel on the day before Eid, but not many bus tickets for this day are sold to the public in advance, he complained. "The bus employees themselves book these seats and sell those for higher prices."

 

 "Let them charge whatever they want. I am happy that I'm going home. But waiting here is long and hard because the buses have been failing to maintain schedule," said another passenger Mostafizur Rahman.

 

But Shyamoli Paribahan Manager Jibon denied charging extra fare.

 

 "There weren’t a lot of advance tickets for Friday. The price they have been paying is legitimate. There are huge crowds here. So we can't ensure that everyone here will get a ticket."

 

Those headed to southern districts were taking short trips on inner city buses and Legunas to Paturia ferry terminal. There they will cross the Padma and secure seats on transports to their destinations.

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