Dhaka, March 19 -- Thousands of passengers rushing home for Eid found themselves paying more than they should, as bus operators quietly hiked fares, prompting mobile courts to intervene and levy fines totalling Tk 76,000.

The festive journey, meant to be joyous, turned into a bitter reminder of the financial strain on holiday travellers.

The drives took place on Thursday at major transit points in Dhaka -- including Fulbaria, Gulistan, Jatrabari, Sayedabad, Gabtoli, and Abdullahpur -- as well as in Chattogram, Tangail, Barishal, and Khulna, according to an official statement.

The crackdown follows comments by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, who on Wednesday visited the Gabtoli Bus Terminal and insisted that oper...