Thousands of commuters have been suffering as bus services on some regional roads, including tourist spot Kuakata, remain suspended for the last four days due to the conflict between the bus owners of Patuakhali and Barguna districts. All buses from the two districts have stopped plying the Patuakhali-Kuakata, Patuakhali-Amtali and Barisal-Barguna via Chandukhali route since Wednesday morning (May 25, 2022). Only long-distance buses and seven buses from the Barihsal Bus Owners' Association are operating on these routes, which is less than the required number.

Locals claim that the bus owners' association has been at odds for a long time over the proportional bus service on Barguna and Patuakhali districts' internal routes. At meetings in Barishal in 2019 and in Dhaka in 2021, the two districts reached an agreement. According to the agreement, the bus owners will operate the Barishal-Kuakata-Patuakhali-Amtali-Taltali, and Barishal-Barguna via Chandukhali routes proportionally.

The Patuakhali Bus Owners' Association claims that their buses are being barred in Barguna since May 18, despite the fact that the buses have been running according to the agreement. Riaz Uddin Mridha, president of Patuakhali Bus Owners' Association, said, "Barguna Bus Owners' Association operates more buses on these routes than the proportional ratio.

We want to run the bus proportionately, but the Barguna Association is preventing us from doing so. They are stopping our buses at various locations." "They have been harassing all our buses for a week," said Golam Mustafa Kislu, president of the Barguna Bus Owners' Association.

"Patuakhali Bus Owners Association is interfering with our bus service by failing to operate the bus in accordance with the previous agreement," he added. The issue is likely to be resolved at a joint meeting of Patuakhali and Barguna deputy commissioners (DC) on Sunday (May 29, 2022), he said.