Hundreds of people thronged the Paturia ferry terminal on Saturday morning to return to Dhaka after celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr with their families at their ancestral homes in southern Bangladesh.
Many of them claimed that they were left with no option but to board buses charging more to avoid travelling on overcrowded ferries.
They alleged that the bus operators were taking advantage of the rush at the ferry ghat.
Farhad Hossain, returning from Jessore, said: “I am going back to my workplace with my wife and two children. The passenger bus we boarded charged us Tk800 for four seats, which is double the usual fare."
Jahanara Begum, a garment worker, said: “I usually travel to Nabinagar in Savar by bus. While the regular fare is Tk80, I was forced to shell out Tk150 for a seat on Saturday."
A visit by UNB revealed that some ferries were carrying passengers beyond the permitted capacity.
Shah Khaled Newaz, deputy general manager of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport and Corporation (BIWTC), said more ferries had been pressed into service to cater to the return rush.
