Luxury buses charging inflated fares ahead of Eid

Passengers have been giving vent to their frustrations as many air-conditioned luxury buses operating on various routes across the country are charging an additional Tk300-Tk500 compared to their previous fares ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

However, the staff of some of the bus services claim that fares have not increased. They usually offer a discount during regular times, but it does not seem feasible to offer the discount during the Eid rush, they say.

Passengers have complained that National Travels, a luxury bus service bound for the northern districts, is charging Tk2,000 for trips from Dhaka to Rajshahi and Dhaka to Chapainawabganj. Regular passengers claim that the fare for both destinations was Tk1,500.

"We typically travel to our hometown Chapainawabganj for Tk1,500 during regular times using the same transport. But for Eid, they are charging an extra Tk500," alleged Hasan Mahmud, a government employee.

He added, "I inquired about the reason, but did not receive a satisfactory answer."

After visits to several bus counters in Dhaka, including Hanif Paribahan, Desh Travels, Grameen Paribahan, and National Travels, it was observed by The Business Standard that the bus companies are charging such fares for their luxury segment by displaying printed charts.

In response to this, National Travels manager Md Sohel said, "During Eid, we are not increasing our fares. The Tk2,000 fare is the regular fare. We offer passengers a Tk500 discount, as indicated on the ticket. However, during the Eid rush, we are unable to provide this discount."

"Passengers mistakenly believe that we are charging higher prices, but this is not the case," he added.

Khalid Hasan, counter master of Desh Travels, said, "During Eid, we only conduct one-way trips. We travel to various districts filled with passengers during Eid, but return with empty buses. Additionally, fuel consumption is higher in AC buses."

"In light of these factors, we have no choice but to implement higher fares," he added.

A passenger named Sajib Khan purchased two Dhaka-Jhenaidah tickets for the Royal Express service at a price of Tk1,700 per ticket.

Expressing his frustration, he said, "The usual fare for this route is always Tk1,200. But they charged Tk500 extra for Eid. There is no oversight, and the transport companies are setting fares as they please. We are at their mercy because we have to travel."

Furthermore, the bus was charging Tk1,400 for the Dhaka to Chuadanga route, whereas the regular fare for each ticket during normal times is Tk1,000.

When asked about the additional charges, Md Shamim, counter master of Royal Express, said, "We are not imposing extra fees. We are charging a fair rate. While we may have charged lower fares during regular times, it is not feasible during Eid."

Additionally, there have been complaints against Purbasha Paribahan, with passengers alleging that the company is charging Tk300-Tk400 more per AC bus ticket on various routes. However, Purbasha Paribahan's counter manager, Saiful Islam, said that this fare is standard.

The fare of air-conditioned luxury buses is not regulated by the government. Instead, it is determined by the respective companies based on factors such as the condition of the bus and the level of service provided.

Meanwhile, the transport owners' association was expected to hold discussions with luxury bus service providers to establish reasonable fares, but this has not yet been carried out.

Mahbubur Rahman, vice president of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, said, "We have not yet met with the companies as our secretary is unwell and currently undergoing treatment. Nevertheless, we will take action on receiving complaints against any specific company."

Non-AC buses charging fares for last stoppages

Non-AC bus fares are regulated by the government. Visits to the counters of various buses in Gabtali, Technical, and Kalyanpur revealed that they are adhering to the government-fixed fare. However, they are charging fares applicable for the last station of a route for all passengers.

As a result, passengers of previous stations are being compelled to pay the fare for the entire route.

Sakura Paribahan's counter master, Farooq Hossain, said, "Even if we have full passenger loads from Dhaka during Eid, we still return with empty buses. Additionally, we are unable to impose extra charges. However, our buses are obligated to travel to the final destination, so we collect the fare for the entire route during Eid."

Staff from both AC and non-AC bus services say that tickets for 8 and 9 April are in high demand among passengers travelling home during the upcoming Eid festival.