Private bus operators started selling advance tickets from this morning for home-goers ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr. Different operators at Gabtoli terminal, Kalyanpur and Shyamoli started selling tickets for April 26 to May 1.

Although people's presence was low in the morning, crowd started to gather at the counters around noon, Romesh Chandra Ghosh, chairman of Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners Association, told The Daily Star. Demand for tickets of April 28 and 30 is particularly high, as government offices will be declared closed on April 28 and garment factories on April 30, he said.

Regarding allegations about some operators overcharging for tickets, he said bus operators used to give some concession during normal time, but now they are charging government-fixed price for the tickets. "Some passengers are terming the matter as overcharging," he added. He also explained another reason behind such allegations. "For example, a Panchagarh-bound bus usually takes less fare from passengers who get down on the way of the final stoppage," he said.

"However, during Eid rush they charge the full fare from all passengers no matter where they get down as the bus has to return to Dhaka empty," he said.