Mohakhali bus terminal deserted amid blockade

Mohakhali Bus Terminal wore a deserted look on the first day of the 48-hour blockade enforced by BNP and opposition parties as the number of passengers were very thin in the morning.

During a visit to the otherwise busy bus terminal from 9:00am to 9:30am, a Mymensingh bound bus of Soukhin Paribahan was seen waiting for passengers but could not leave as people were few and far between.

Manir Hossain, the driver of Soukhin Paribahan, told Prothom Alo that he had been waiting since dawn but could not find any passengers. At least 20 Mymensingh-bound buses leave the bus stand by this time on a usual day, but no bus left today. Drivers were sitting idle.

A team of police was seen in the terminal.

Mizanur Rahman, a sub inspector of Tejgaon Industrial Police Station, told Prothom Alo that the number of passengers has been less since morning and not many buses are leaving the station.

The police are cautious to ensure no untoward incident happens in the area, he added.

Some Mymensingh-bound passengers were seen waiting in front of the Ena Paribahan counter. One of them, Aminul Islam was waiting for over half an hour but said no one knows when the bus will leave the terminal.

Ena Paribahan’s counterman Antar Biswas Joy told Prothom Alo that 9 buses left for Mymensingh in the morning but not one had full-capacity passengers.

At least 20 buses with full capacity leave the station by this time on an usual day, he added.

A 48-hour blockade of road, rail and waterways enforced by BNP and opposition parties started at 6:00am today.