Thousands of people heading home from Dhaka to vote in Bangladesh’s 13th national election are facing severe transport shortages and soaring fares. At major bus terminals, passengers have waited for hours without finding available buses, while fares on routes such as Dhaka–Mymensingh have jumped from the usual 200–250 taka to as high as 600 taka. Many travelers, including families with children and elderly members, have been forced to ride in trucks at inflated rates of 300–400 taka per person. Long traffic jams have worsened the situation, leaving voters frustrated and exhausted.
Passengers accuse certain transport syndicates of exploiting the crisis by charging multiple times the normal fare. Some report mistreatment by bus staff who refuse to carry passengers unwilling to pay extra. The rush intensified as industrial areas began their election holidays, prompting a mass exodus from the capital. The government has declared February 10–12 as special and general holidays to facilitate voting.
The combination of vehicle shortages, traffic congestion, and fare manipulation has turned the journey to polling centers into a major ordeal for ordinary citizens.
কাঁধে ব্যাগ, হাতে ছোট শিশু, আর চোখেমুখে বাড়ি ফেরার তাড়া। কিন্তু বাস টার্মিনালগুলোতে গিয়ে মিলছে ভিন্ন এক বাস্তবতা। ঘণ্টার পর ঘণ্টা দাঁড়িয়ে থেকেও মিলছে না কাঙ্ক্ষিত বাহন; আর যাও পাওয়া যাচ্ছে, তার ভাড়া আকাশচুম্বী। ২৫০ টাকার পথ পাড়ি দিতে গুণতে হচ্ছে ৬০০
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