The ticket counters and passenger rooms at the municipality bus terminal in Moulvibazar have become a safe haven for drug peddlers and muggers as they have been lying unused for about 10 years now.

With a view to free the town of traffic congestions, the terminal was built with Tk 4 crore on three acres of land in Jogidahar along the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in 2009. But despite the huge expenditure, the terminal never brough the desired results, instead, is in shambles now.

According to transport owners, the location is the main reason why neither the passengers nor drivers ever wanted to use the terminal.

“Bus drivers do not prefer picking or dropping passengers at this terminal as it is located on far from the city. It costs one Tk20/30 to reach there from adjacent areas,” said Syed Mosabbir Ali, president, Moulvibazar Road Transport Owners’ Association.

Residents of Kusumbagh and Jogidahar expressed annoyance over the situation.

Passengers do not want to go to the terminal while transport workers pick and drop passengers at different thoroughfares causing traffic jam and public sufferings, they told this paper.

Most Dhaka-bound buses still use the terminal, locally known as the “Dhaka Bus Stand”, on Sreemangal road.

“Locals every day witness heavy traffic on both lanes of the one-way road as buses remain parked haphazardly blocking traffic movement,” said Mahfuz Mia, a resident of the area.

The residents of neighbourhoods nearby the municipality bus terminal are living in cannot move safely due to presence of unruly drug addicts and muggers at the empty ticket counters and waiting room.

“I went to a restaurant for dinner with my younger brother the other day. While crossing the unused terminal, we saw several drug addicts there. It was so embarrassing, especially with my young brother being around,” said Johirul Islam, a government official and a resident of Jogidahar.

Helal Ahmed, who runs a tea stall at the entrance of the terminal, said that inter-district buses from Dhaka, Sylhet, Habiganj, and Cumilla initially used the terminal after opening.

“But after a few days, buses stopped coming. Counters of different bus companies have been lying unused since then. Vagabonds, drug addicts and muggers roam around here freely as there is no security personnel around,” he said, adding, “Every day I shut down my stall before dark as muggers get active then.”

Bipasha Rahman, a housewife of Jogidahar area, said, “It is frustrating that the municipality terminal is not in use. It has a large space. Buses can park here easily without creating traffic jams.”

During a recent visit to the terminal, this correspondent found cracks on the walls, displaced floor tiles and broken doors and windows. Chairs and tables placed inside the waiting room and ticket counters were also in a rickety condition.

Moulvibazar Road Transport Owners’ Association President Mosabbir said that the municipal authorities had built the bus terminal in an unplanned manner without consulting stakeholders.

Regarding muggers and drug peddlers, Alamgir Hosain, officer-in-charge of Moulvibazar Police Station, said that regular drives would be conducted to clear the terminal area.

When contacted, Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner Nazia Shirin said, “I am new here but I have heard about the condition of the municipality bus terminal. We have already held several meetings in this regard. I am trying my best to restart the terminal.”