Transport cost of home-bound people up by 200pc

Transport cost of homebound people has gone up by 200 percent due to the ongoing restriction on movement of inter-district buses.
Cars and microbuses are charging home-bound passengers Tk1500-2000 for the distance a bus charges only Tk500.
Again these cars and microbuses carrying Eid passengers are not maintaining health guidelines amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Paturia Ferry Terminal in Manikganj and Shimulia-Kathalbari in Mawa on Friday saw a huge rush with crowded ferries crossing the river.
The Cabinet Division last week issued a circular restricting movement of people and public transports from May 6 to May 16.
But defying the government      restriction a huge number of cars and microbuses continue to carry passengers to and from Dhaka on rent charging almost three to four times more than the usual bus fare.
The number of such vehicles is expected to go up just before and after the Eid vacation.
Thousands of people have started to leave Dhaka to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha with their near and dear ones.
The rush of homebound people has increased manifold at Paturia Ferry Terminal in Manikganj, the gateway to 21 districts in the southern part of the country.
Private vehicles and goods-laden trucks formed long queues at the terminal. "The pressure of passengers and vehicles has increased after intra-district public transport resumed on Thursday," said locals.
The pressure also increased on Friday due to the weekly holiday.
Currently, out of 16 ferries, three are plying on Paturia-Daulatdia route to ferry passengers and vehicles.  
However, the presence of law enforcement agencies was very poor in the terminals and those present were inactive and indifferent.
Homebound people from Savar, Nabinagar, Ashulia and Dhamrai were heading to Gabtoli on Friday morning. From here they were hoping to catch local modes of transport to take them home.
Most passengers were also making multiple stoppages to reach their destinations. From Gabtoli many were going to Mawa, many more will head towards Chattogram road, the commuters told The Daily Observer.
With travel bags in their hands, many men and women were seen heading on foot towards the transport stands in the morning.