Bus operators on Dhaka-Aricha and Dhaka-Paturia routes have been charging exorbitant fares from the passengers as thousands of people are leaving the capital ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
Usually, the fare is set at Tk 70 for a trip to Dhaka's Gabtoli to Manikganj's Saturia, Aricha, and Paturia. As the Eid draws near, bus fare on the routes has jumped to as much as Tk 300, which in some cases goes up to Tk 400.
"Bus fare on these routes increases by fourfold. They (operators) don't even consider a taka now," said Abdus Salam, who was looking for a Paturia-bound bus at the capital's Gabtoli bus terminal on Friday (Aug 9).
Bus operators have set the fare on Gabtoli-Aricha route between Tk 300 to Tk 400 and Gabtoli-Paturia at Tk 300, he said.
On spot visits at Gabtoli bus terminal on Friday, assistants of these routes' bus drivers were seen calling for passengers with Tk 300 fare for Aricha and Paturia.
Passengers, too, were seen getting in the bus as they got no alternative.
Meantime, a passenger alleged there was no bus on Dhaka-Saturia route as all buses have been diverted to the other two routes.
"I need to go to Saturia, but no buses. Now I have to take a bus on Paturia route with a fare up by four to fivefold," said Jahangir Alam, an employee of a school in Dhaka's Keraniganj.
When Bangla Tribune approached to the lineman of the Dhaka-Aricha bus operator on the bus fare he declined to comment and told this correspondent to speak to the bus owners.
The lineman is mainly responsible for arranging trip scheduled for the buses, to be operated on a route.
He, too, refused to provide the bus owners' contact numbers.
Drivers and supervisors also declined to comment on the matter.
Security Police, however, said they have acted upon receiving allegation on bus fare in addition to providing security to passengers.
"Several bus operators caused hassle to passengers in the morning. After receiving allegation through 999, we took measures," said ASI Ershadur Rahman of Darussalam Police, who was posted at Gabtoli police outpost.
Road regulator Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) also said their vigilance team was at Gabtoli to stop charging extra fare during Eid.
Today (Friday), our mobile court has fined several people and handed two others to police on the charge of imposing extra fare, said Wahidur Rahman, who is an inspector of BRTA.