Makhan Lal, a private car driver, lives at Arambag and works at Mohakhali. He has to travel between Arambag and Mohakhali to do his job. Not very long ago he could travel either by Balaka Paribahan or Gazipur Praibahan buses with Tk 10 from Kamlapur to Mohakhali. But now, his cost has been doubled due to the introduction of ‘sitting service’ by Gazipur and Balaka Paribahan. He observed that people have to pay Tk. 20 to travel even a shorter distance for which actual fair should be Tk. 5. They claimed fare for a trip from Arambag to Kakoli is Tk 20 and if one crosses even two stoppages more one has to pay another Tk. 20. Now, almost all transport services in Dhaka run so-called sitting service buses. There is no discipline is this sector now. So, hot talks take place every day between passengers and conductors and these often turn into fist fights.
Makhan Lal has a wife and his mother living with him and he earns Taka twelve thousand only as a salary. He is very loyal to his mother and his mother takes medicine regularly these costs add more to his family expenses day by day and attending a doctor for his mother is a big concern. His wife is pregnant which also involves extra expenses. House rent and other costs have increased every year but his salary does not comparatively.
Sheuly Haque
Sheuly Haque<sheuly.haque@gmail.com>
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