Passengers accused private liner Bay Cruise International Limited of harassment, as the company cancelled its day-time express passenger service on Dhaka – Barisal route without notice for the fifth time yesterday within three weeks of introducing the service.
Asifur Rahman Tamim, a Barisal resident who was scheduled to board the company’s vessel Bay Cruiser – 1 at noon yesterday from Dhaka, said he had purchased two advance tickets for the first class for Tk1,200 each on Saturday from the head office of the liner at Baridhara DOHS.
However, after reaching Sadarghat terminal at noon yesterday, the liner’s station office said the trip had been cancelled because of some technical faults in the vessel.
No prior notice was given to the passengers and the Sadarghat counter denied to refund the tickets, meaning many of the passengers were unable to take any other launch. Some passengers say the company has cancelled its trips without notice before.
Saifuddin Ahmed, Sadarghat counter in-charge of liner Bay Cruise International Limited, admitted to this correspondent that the trip had indeed been cancelled without informing the passengers who had booked in advance.
He said the earlier trips had been cancelled due to hartal and cyclone Mahasen.
When asked why the tickets had not been refunded, he replied that as the tickets were purchased from the head office, the refunds would have to be collected from there.
Bay Cruise International Limited introduced the Catamaran Bay Cruiser – 1 on the Dhaka-Barisal-Dhaka route on April 28. The company’s website claims that they stress on “punctuality and comfort coupled with speed in transportation.”
