Amid tailbacks and higher fares, they head home

It was around 3pm on Friday. A group of people, including women and children, carrying bags were getting on a truck in the capital’s Panthapath.

When asked, they said they would travel to Dinajpur to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with their families. The trucker collected Tk 1,000 from each person but offered discounts for children.

“We earlier failed to buy bus tickets. But we have to go home and enjoy the festival with our families. That is why we have chosen to travel by this truck,” Asma Akter, one of the passengers, told The Business Post. She was accompanied by her husband and two children.

This correspondent phoned another passenger of the truck at 7pm, who said the truck had crossed Chandra and it was not clear when the vehicle would reach the destination.

A large number of people left Dhaka for their village homes on Friday amid tailbacks, a lack of public transport, and higher fares among other troubles.

Many had left the city by motorcycles ahead of Eid in the previous years. But as the government restricted bike riding on highways before Eid this year, home-goers were bound to travel via public transport, which created extra pressure.

Those exiting Dhaka via Gazipur, Ashulia, Babubazar bridge, Postagola bridge, and Jatrabari said they had suffered immensely. They claimed that it took them around two hours to cross the Mayor Hanif flyover due to slow toll collection and traffic mismanagement.

To avoid hassles, many in Dhaka and its surrounding areas started their journeys before sunrise. But it was still a terrible journey for almost everyone, except for those buying tickets in advance.

Md Al Amin started from Uttara early in the morning, and his destination was Jhalakathi. It took him around four hours to reach Sayedabad bus terminal due to heavy traffic.

He then spent another hour managing a bus ticket that cost him twice as much as the regular fare. He said the bus had set off at 11am and crossed the Postagola bridge at 1pm due to traffic jam.

“However, we did not have to wait anywhere for long after crossing the bridge, except for the expressway toll plaza,” he told The Business Post.

Another passenger Jannatul Ferdous said she had started her journey from Badda at 7am and reached Gabtoli bus terminal at around 9:30am.

She paid Tk 1,000 for a ticket to a northern district though the regular fare is Tk 600. “We crossed Nabinagar three hours after starting from Gabtoli.”

Mominul Islam started his journey from Mohakhali to Mymensingh at 8am and crossed Chowrasta in Gazipur after 1pm.

He said traffic congestion started in Mohakhali and ended in Chowrasta. He said he generally travels outside Dhaka by motorcycle but was forced to take public transport for the first time because of the government’s restriction.

“I am not used to waiting for long while travelling, but this is common if you take public transport. It was a horrible journey due to dust and heavy traffic,” he added.

Jahidul Islam, who took a Bhola-bound launch from Dhaka, said every launch at the terminal was overloaded due to the overwhelming number of passengers.

Apart from those travelling via public transport, passengers managing their own mode of transport also faced problems. Monjur Morshed, who lives in Dhanmondi, started his journey to Chattogram by car.

“I generally travel via Chankharpul, and it takes a maximum of 20 minutes to leave Dhaka via that area. But I had to wait for two hours on the flyover today,” he said.

He also said it took three hours to cross the Gumti bridge due to traffic jam.

Due to a transport crisis, thousands left Dhaka by trucks and pick-up vans, risking their lives. Many even travelled on train roofs.

Those travelling by trucks and pick-up vans said they paid Tk 600-1,000 each. But most of those travelling on train roofs said they had not bought tickets.

“I knew this would be too risky but had no other way to enjoy Eid with my family. If the government ensures enough public transport, we will have safe journeys,” Fahima Khatun, who got on the roof of a train to reach Rangpur, said.

Meanwhile, the Paturia ferry terminal also witnessed a huge rush of passengers since morning. However, there were fewer passengers and vehicles compared to the previous years as many bound for southern destinations took buses travelling via the Padma Bridge.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority said it was monitoring traffic at the terminal. Officials said around 6,000-7,000 vehicles had crossed the Padma River through the Paturia terminal in the past 24 hours.

Manikganj Superintendent of Police Golam Azad Khan said additional units had been deployed at the terminal to maintain law and order and CCTV cameras had been set up as well.