Buses are charging increased fares to passengers on seven routes of Khulna division, using the ongoing transport strike in the region as an excuse.
Transport owners and workers called a transport strike yesterday on all routes of the Khulna division after having observed a three-day strike on Dhaka-bound transportation.
Ticket Manager Md Mosharrof Hossain of Ruposi Paribahan at Sonadanga Inter-district bus terminal in Khulna said: “Buses are running on Satkhira, Bagerhat, Paikgacha, Kaliganj, Gopalganj, Tekerhat-Madaripur, Pirojpur, Barisal routes since the morning. No buses are running through Jessore from Khulna. However, the fares are charged as usual.”
He said all the bus services on these routes are operational and microbuses are available at the bus terminal to take Dhaka-bound passengers up to Mawa.
Md Sohel, a passenger of Ruposi Paribahan heading for Tekerhat, said he was charged Tk180 for the fare whereas it is usually Tk120. Gopalganj-bound passenger Md Shamim said the bus services are charging Tk50 more than usual.
Superviser Md Shoaib of a Satkhira-bound bus said the passengers are not facing any trouble despite the transport strike, but the fixed fares are not being followed under the circumstances. Khulna Bus minibus coach Owners’ Association General Secretary Anowar Hossain Shona said: “Buses have not been going to Dhaka since Tuesday, May 19. Yesterday, transport owners and workers called for the strike in all routes of Khulna division.”