Thousands of people thronged bus terminals in capital Dhaka on Thursday afternoon in a bid to get to home to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with their families on Friday.
Many people were seen rushing from one counter to another for tickets at the Gabtoli bus terminal, while others waited for hours for their buses to arrive.
Employees at the counters said their buses were late in reaching Dhaka because of severe traffic congestion.
Abul Hashem, a Satkhira-bound passenger of Eagle Paribahan, told bdnews24.com that his bus was supposed start from Dhaka at 11 am but it had not turned up even at 2 pm.
Eagle counter employee Mohamad Ali said: “We are not at fault. There is severe traffic congestion. As a result, buses are unable to reach in time.”
Many passengers alleged that employees at the counters were denying refunds to those wishing to return their tickets because of the delays.
Nahid Hossain, a Jhenidah-bound passenger of Purbasha Paribahan, said he had been waiting for his bus for five hours. “The transport operator is not returning the money.”
Asif Hossain, bound for Sirajganj, said: “The suffering of the passengers scares me. But I have to go home.”
While visiting the Gabtoli bus terminal on Thursday morning, Communications Minister Obaidul Quader asked the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation to operate 33 more buses on various routes from Dhaka to meet additional pressure of passengers ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
But those waiting to travel home said the number was inadequate.
Eid will be celebrated on Friday as the Shawwal moon was sighted on Thursday.
Source: bdnews24
