Thousands of people are leaving Dhaka to spend the five-day holiday with their families as Durga Puja holidays coincide with the weekly weekend break. Bus terminals in Jatrabari, Sayedabad, Dholairpar and surrounding areas saw heavy passenger crowds from Tuesday morning, October 20.
Passenger pressure has also increased at railway stations and launch terminals ahead of the holiday. Transport owners and workers said passenger movement around Sayedabad Bus Terminal and nearby areas had risen since the break began. However, some passengers alleged that transport operators were taking advantage of the increased demand to charge fares above the prescribed rates.
Shah Alam, a ticket seller for FAM Paribahan, which operates on the Shariatpur route, said passenger numbers had risen significantly since the holiday began. The pressure had also been high the previous day, he said. The fare on the Shariatpur route is Tk 300.
Roni, who was waiting to travel to Naria in Shariatpur, said both the number of passengers and bus demand had increased, but fares were also higher than before. He said the fare to Shariatpur had previously been Tk 250 before rising to Tk 280 following an increase in fuel prices. It is now Tk 300, he added.
Meanwhile, Julhas Hossain, an employee of a private company, was waiting with his family at Janapath intersection in Sayedabad to travel to Barishal for the holiday.
Another passenger alleged that bus operators were charging excessive fares because of the increased demand. According to the passenger, local buses on the Barishal route normally charge a maximum of Tk 500, but it was difficult to find a bus for less than Tk 600 to Tk 700.
A similar situation was reported on the Cumilla route. Passengers said fares that normally range from Tk 200 to Tk 250 had increased to Tk 300.
However, Shahadat Hossain, an employee of Tisha Paribahan, which operates on the Cumilla route, said the company did not charge more than the government-prescribed fare. He added that fares were comparatively lower during other periods.
The five-day holiday for government employees began on Tuesday, October 20, and will continue until October 24. Banks, financial institutions, stock markets and courts are also closed during this period.
October 20 was scheduled as a holiday for Maha Navami, while October 21 was designated as the holiday for Bijoya Dashami on the occasion of Durga Puja. An additional holiday was declared by executive order for Thursday, October 22, creating a continuous break. The weekly holidays on Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24, extended the period further.
Earlier, government offices had remained open on Saturday, October 17, despite it being a weekly holiday.
Relevant sources said many people were leaving the capital to celebrate the festival and spend leisure time with their families during the extended break, increasing passenger pressure at bus terminals and other transport hubs across Dhaka.
