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Bus scarcity plagues commuters in Dhaka

Published : Thursday, 13 February, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 438
Bus services in Dhaka have been severely disrupted as several transporters have halted operations, citing misgivings about the new counter-based ticketing system. The suspension affected multiple routes across the capital, leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

On Wednesday morning, long queues of passengers were seen waiting for transport at major bus stands, including Kuril, Khilkhet, the airport area, Shewra, and Banani.

According to the Dhaka Road Transport Owners' Association, drivers from operators Turag, Anabil, and Airport Paribahan have refused to operate under the new system, leading to the ongoing crisis. Authorities are in talks with them, and the situation is expected to improve within a few days.

Many passengers shared their struggles. Rashedul Alam, a resident of Khilkhet Namapara, said, "There are no Rida, Anabil or Turag buses on the road, leaving hundreds of people stranded."

"Thousands of passengers travelling via Badda-Rampura towards Jatrabari and Shanir Akhra are facing difficulties. There is an AC counter service called Iqbal, but it doesn't open before 10am. In Bangladesh, it's too easy to hold ordinary people hostage," he added.

Enam Ahmed, a resident of Kuril Bishwa Road, faced a similar ordeal.

"I take my daughter to school in Uttara by CNG autorickshaw and usually return by bus. But today, I couldn't find a single bus, so I had to take a motorcycle ride. On my way back, I saw huge crowds waiting at the airport, Khilkhet, and Kuril Bishwa Road bus stands. This problem has been ongoing for the past few days."

Mahbubur Rahman, a Badda resident who works in Uttara's Azampur, struggled to get to work for two days. Frustrated, he took leave on Wednesday and Thursday.

"Yesterday, I stood for over two and a half hours waiting for a bus. After much difficulty, I finally got one. The return journey was just as bad. That's why I decided to take two days off-I won't even step out of my house."
Many commuters also took to social media to vent their frustration.

A user named Fahim Ferdaus wrote on Traffic Alert, a Facebook page focussed on Dhaka's traffic and public transport: "There's a long queue from Farmgate to Banani, but only one Airport Paribahan bus is running. The transport crisis is severe. There's heavy traffic, but buses are not available when needed. Those who travel to Banani regularly know how bad things have gotten."
Posting a picture of passengers hanging onto a bus door, another user, Tawseef Sadat, wrote: "Khilkhet, 8:30 am. Complete chaos! The ticketing system has made things even worse for passengers." —bdnews24.com



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