Work that started in 2003 still continues, while 80-90 ticket counters of about 200 service providers operate from whatever spare space they can find within and outside the terminal.

"We serve customers despite wearing weather conditions," said a Shaukhin bus service ticket salesman.

Prior to reconstruction, buses plying on the Chittagong, Noakhali, Sylhet, Comilla, Gazipur, Turag had their own platforms, but now pick up and drop is haphazard because f the chaotic situation of the terminal.

Yet over 2000 buses still run in and out of this terminal daily although the numbers were much higher previously, said a resident of the area, and as buses cannot park inside the terminal, the adjoining Janapad-Bishwa road and the Chittagong highway. This continuously causes traffic congestion, making commuting extremely difficult for residents as well as other vehicles passing by adding to the already prevailing accidents and crime especially at nights.

"Routes cover most corners of the country, and buses are always packed with passengers. Business is quite profitable in this area," said Siddiqur Rahman, counter manager, Sugandha Paribahan.

DCC signed a contract with Rora Enterprise, a private company to maintain the Mohakhali and Sayedabad bus terminals to meet a World Bank condition to disburse Tk 44 crore to upgrade them under the Dhaka Urban Transport Project (DUTP). The upgrading of the Gabtoli bus terminal too, under the supervision of Diba Enterprises, another private company, was included in these funds.

According to DCC sources Rora Enterprises was overseeing the improvement of Mohakhali and Sayedabad and had taken over management of the terminals in October 2003, but the private company has a different story.

According to the contract, Rora Enterprises had to manage and provide maintenance and upkeep and lastly provide security.

"We were expected to collect tolls from bus owners and others using the terminals by the first clause and spend whatever is necessary under the two other clauses," explained Akhteruzzaman, Managing Director, Rora Enterprises. "The rest of the money was to go to DCC," he said.

The toll for each bus was previously fixed at Taka 30 per trip, but DCC sources said in February this year, two notices were sent to Rora stating the contracts were cancelled a month from the date the notices were issued.

One notice stated that Rora had not paid lease money for four months, amounting to Taka 4,760,400 and Taka 2,182,360 in VAT for Sayedabad terminal.

"We did make the first month's payment but later on, we could not do so since we did not collect any tolls," said Zaman adding that the payments they make are losses incurred by Rora amounting to Taka 40 lakhs.

Zaman also said that tolls were collected by toll-colle- ctors appointed by the local commissioner and paid directly to DCC.

"According to the contract, tolls were to be collected only by our personnel," said the managing director, mentioning that according to these incidents, corruption within DCC is transparent.

Rora enterprises have already filed two cases with the High Court against DCC under petition no. 3762 for Mohakhali and 3763 for Sayedabad bus terminals.

"Such allegations are totally baseless," said Mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka. In the meantime the rest of the work has been handed over to Panama enterprises.

“The project will be complete by December," the mayor said.