A very small passenger shed has been built at the northern corner of the terminal, which is not at all usable due to its faulty design and location. The passengers and buses use the southwestern side to enter the terminal.

Sources in the DCC said the project work has been done carelessly and there is an allegation that huge amount of money has been plundered.

"What has been done in this terminal at a cost of Tk 8.71 crore could be done spending Tk 1 crore," said a DCC source asking not to be named.

Project Manager Ahmed Ali Shah, also executive engineer, Planning and Design Division of DCC, said: "We have built a shed and a platform in the terminal." But no platform was seen in the terminal.

Asked how the huge amount of money was spent, he said, "What was estimated has been spent properly." He declined to say anything more.

Muhammad Mahbub Ahmed, general manager (Terminal) of the project, admitted that the development work of the terminal could not bring much benefit to the passengers and the transport workers.

"We have already requested the higher authorities to take another programme to do further development work at the terminal," Mahbub said.

Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka who inaugurated the city bus terminal beside Sayedabad inter-district terminal on July 14, declined to make any comment about the matter. He just said: "I will say after seeing papers."

The terminal with the parking capacity of 600 buses has been built to reduce traffic congestion on roads in Gulistan, Fulbaria and Joykali Temple areas, which were used for parking of city buses.

But the transport workers and passengers said the terminal lacks basic facilities. Bazlur Rahman, a driver said: "There is no water supply, no toilet in the terminal for the use of passengers and drivers."

A toilet has been built, attached to the shed, but it is yet to be opened.

Farruk Bhuiyan, a Kishoreganj-bound passenger, however welcomed the DCC initiative to shift the vehicles, which were earlier haphazardly parked in Gulistan and adjacent areas, to Sayedabad.

But he alleged that the transport workers of different bus companies harass passengers at the terminal. "A helper has already taken my baggage forcibly," he said.

The work on the terminal started on April 30, 2001 and completed on June 30, 2004. The total area of the terminal is 1,69,000 square feet. DCC acquired the land from Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority.