Eid travel pressure: Homebound crowds in Gabtoli-Kalyanpur, anger over fare hike

Thousands of people have started leaving the capital ahead of the holy Eid-ul-Fitr. Homebound people have flocked to Gabtoli Bus Terminal and Kalyanpur Bus Terminal areas to share the joy of Eid with their loved ones. However, along with the relief on this journey, the fear of increased fares and traffic jams is increasing the suffering of passengers.

The rush of passengers at the terminals has been increasing since Tuesday morning. Bags in hand, families with them - such a scene seems to be all over the area. The presence of passengers going to North and South Bengal is high in Gabtoli, and the same picture is seen in Kalyanpur. Although many have collected tickets in advance, long queues were seen at the counters hoping for instant tickets.

Passengers have complained that they are being charged Tk 200 to 400 more than the fixed fare. There have been allegations that extra money is being collected from those who are buying tickets at the last minute, especially from those who are buying tickets. Some say that this extra pressure can be avoided by buying tickets in advance, but if the journey is suddenly planned, suffering becomes inevitable.

On the other hand, passengers have to wait for a long time at the terminal due to the delay in leaving the bus. Transport officials say that due to traffic jams in Savar and Aminbazar areas, the buses are not able to reach on time, resulting in disruption to the journey schedule.

Denying the allegations of increased fares, some transport authorities say that the owners are making some adjustments in the fares as the buses are empty on the return journey. However, passengers are reluctant to accept this argument - they claim that the same situation is repeated every year during Eid.

Meanwhile, the presence of law enforcement agencies has been strengthened in the terminal area to ensure the safety of passengers. In addition to the temporary camps of the police and RAB, the vigilance team of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) is also active.

Overall, despite the suffering, the joy of returning home has become greater for the passengers. Despite the long wait and hardship, everyone has one goal - to reach their families in time and share the joy of Eid.