Fazlul Haque, whose home district is Mymensingh, arrived at the Mohakhali inter-district bus terminal on Friday with the hope of travelling back to spend Eid-ul-Azha with his beloved ones. However, his hope for an enjoyable journey was marred by the exorbitant bus fares, with buses charging two to three times more than the legal fare.
"The bus fare from Mohakhali to Mymensingh is Tk 250, but Shoukhin Paribahan, Alam Asia, and other local buses are charging Tk 500 to Tk 600, which is almost three times the usual rate. However, Ena and Sonar Bangla buses are still charging the legal fare," he said.
A similar situation was observed at the Jatrabari Bus Terminal on Friday. The fare from Dhaka to Muksudpur Upazila of Gopalganj district is normally Tk 250, but buses are charging Tk 600 per person during the Eid-ul-Azha holiday. This scenario is evident at other bus terminals in Dhaka as huge crowds of people leave Dhaka for the Eid-ul-Azha holiday.
Massive exodus for Eid-ul-Azha
As Eid-ul-Azha approaches, just one day away, a massive exodus of people has been seen on Thursday and Friday, with many flocking to the capital’s bus terminals, railway stations, and Sadarghat launch terminal to reunite with their families.
The extended holiday period, with government offices, courts, and various institutions closing for Friday and Saturday, has given many an opportunity to start their journeys home early, as Eid-ul-Azha is set to be observed on Monday.
The influx of travellers began on Thursday night as soon as the last working day of the week concluded. By Friday morning, the number of passengers had increased significantly at all inter-district bus terminals, including Mohakhali, Gabtoli, and Sayedabad.
Transport officials expect this crowd to swell further in the next couple of days, even on the morning of Eid-ul-Azha.
Unofficial deals, middle-destination tickets overpriced
Bus conductors or supervisors sometimes make verbal agreements to collect extra fares without issuing tickets, simply assigning seats to passengers.
As a result, even if passengers want to complain, they are left with no evidence to support their claims.
However, a police officer on duty stated that immediate action would be taken if anyone complains about extra fares.
Some passengers travelling to locations between two major destinations face additional challenges at the ticket counters, as they cannot buy tickets for their specific stops.
For instance, if someone wants to go to Jashore, they are forced to buy a ticket to Benapole or Khulna because tickets for Jashore are not available.
Fahad Hossain, a homebound passenger, said, “The ticket price from Dhaka to Magura on Shohagh Paribahan is Tk 580, but during the Eid-ul-Azha holiday season, they only sell tickets from Dhaka to Benapole or Dhaka to Khulna and charge over Tk 700.”
Similarly, Asif Islam wanted to go to Barishal but could not get tickets on Sakura Paribahan. He ended up buying tickets from Dhaka to Barguna at Tk 700, whereas a ticket to Barishal would have cost Tk 500.
Black marketing and ticket mismanagement
Increasing fares and ticket mismanagement during the Eid-ul-Azha holiday rush are making the journey of commuters leaving Dhaka challenging and often unsatisfactory. With almost all the tickets being sold, they are now becoming hard to get, forcing many people to buy them on the black market at high prices.
Ratan Islam, a private employee, shared his experience with black market tickets at Mohakhali terminal.
"Even though tickets are usually sold out when we search, you can often find them on the black market at double the price if you just go to the bus station," he explained.
Traffic jams and journey delays
This time, Eid-ul-Azha is offering a long weekend to office-goers, sparking a rush with people hurrying to secure their preferred modes of transportation. This surge in passengers and transports has already started to cause traffic jams on the major highways surrounding the terminals, such as the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway, Dhaka-Aricha Highway, and Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway.
Huge traffic jams are common during festive times, and this long weekend is no exception, with long lines of buses on both sides of the Jamuna Bridge further prolonging passengers' journey times.
Hanif Sarker, who was travelling to Dinajpur, said, “There is no bus ticket, and the condition of the road is very bad. Fifty kilometres of traffic jam takes place during the holiday season, especially on Eid festivals. It takes 24-25 hours to go from Tangail to Dinajpur.”
Last-minute travel challenges
For those who did not purchase bus or train tickets in advance, the situation is worse, as they must take whatever transportation is available at the last minute.
This means standing in crowded buses or even sitting on top of trains. Despite these challenges, some express their excitement about spending time with their loved ones.
Jamilur Reza, a private university student, shared his anticipation for the journey home. "I look forward to this time every year," he said. "In the village, praying the Eid prayers with family and making sacrifices together – it brings a different kind of love," he added.
Railway station pressure
The pressure of passengers was evident at Kamalapur Railway Station on Friday morning. Many were seen standing on the platform, waiting for their trains amid disrupted schedules.
Shah Alam, a resident of Badda, came to see his family off to Kishoreganj for the Eid holidays. “They will get off at Kishoreganj and then travel to Karimgonj. The train was scheduled to depart at 7:15am, but it has yet to arrive," he lamented.
“The children are becoming restless due to the hot weather and want to return home,” he added. Despite the challenges, the authorities have implemented measures to ease the journey, ensuring that no one is allowed to enter the platform without a ticket.
Launch terminal
From Thursday to Sunday, more than two million people from Dhaka and surrounding districts are expected to travel to the coastal areas. To accommodate this massive movement, a total of 180 launches will operate from Sadarghat Terminal under the Eid special service.
Of these, 90 launches will depart from Dhaka, and another 90 will arrive in Dhaka from various locations. Despite this arrangement, transporting this many one-way passengers smoothly over four days will still be challenging.
The anticipation of celebrating Eid-ul-Azha with family and friends in their hometowns drives people to endure the arduous journey. The festive spirit and the opportunity to follow traditional practices and religious observances make this annual journey significant for many.
As the weekend progresses, transport officials and authorities continue to monitor the situation, striving to ensure the journey remains as smooth and safe as possible for all travellers.
