Although unbearable gridlocks on travel routes were largely absent ahead of Eid-ul-Azha this year, home-bound commuters faced different hassles including mismanagements, high fares, and shortage of transport on Tuesday.
A greater number of holidaymakers rushed to the bus, launch terminals and railway stations on Tuesday compared to the previous day. The commuters started flocking to terminals in the morning but the rush intensified further in the afternoon as many private offices and factories were closed for holidays after the working hours on Tuesday. The country is scheduled to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha on Thursday.
Many passengers of buses alleged that the bus companies were charging extra fares at Sayebabad, Mohakhali, Gabtoli, Gulistan and Jatrabari counters taking the advantage of high demand.
The southern districts bound people suffered on their way to Sadarghat Launch terminal as makeshift cattle markets made the roads narrow for the vehicles to pass, mainly from the Jatrabari area. Besides, train passengers alleged that some trains were behind their schedule and there was a huge pressure of standing passengers inside of the trains.
However, the journey to the South and South-Western districts through the Padma Bridge was almost smooth as there were no significant traffic congestions on the highways. But the slow movement of vehicles was seen at the exit points of the capital as well as almost all other highways across the country.
A Barishal-bound passenger Md Aminul Islam posted an update on social media around 1 pm suggesting others avoid the Sayedabad Bus Terminal where he remained stranded at that moment.
He wrote, “Those who are thinking of going to Barishal from Sayedabad, try to go for launch terminals instead if they have the opportunity! There is no ticket for transportation at Sayedabad! Moreover, the fare of local buses is Tk 800-1200 high and buses are leaving late. There is an unbearable traffic congestion on the road as well.”
Md Aminul Islam, a Facebook user commented that he had to pay Tk 1100 for getting a ticket to Barishal, where normally non-AC buses charge Tk 500.
A passenger Humayun Kabir alleged that the counterman of Sakura Paribahan at Sayedabad, charged him Tk 1000 for a ticket instead of Tk 500. Another passenger of the Shariatpur bound bus alleged that he was charged Tk 500 instead of Tk 250.
Meanwhile, The Business Post Gazipur correspondent reports that amid the rainy weather, home goers were rushing home in trucks and pickups, failing to avail seats on the long-route buses. Lower-income people also choose good-carrying vehicles as they failed effort extra fair in public transport.
A passenger of Sirajganj Ruhul Amin said he paid Tk 300 for a truck ride home from Chandra. The Rangpur-bound passengers were paying Tk 500 for a ride in a truck or covered van.
The pressure of vehicles has increased on Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways in Gazipur since the morning but vehicles were moving slowly at different important points of the highways including Chandana Chowrasta, Bhogra Bypass Intersection, Boardbazar and Gazipur.
Besides, a slow movement of traffic was seen on the Dhaka-Tangail highway, the gateway to the northern districts from the capital. At Chandra intersection, vehicles were running slowly for about a one-kilometre road.
Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mahbub Alam said that measures are being taken to ensure a comfortable Eid journey for people by deploying additional law enforcers at various important points on the highway from Tongi to Chandana Intersection.
Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Md Anisur Rahman said, in addition to the law enforcement agencies, another 12 teams of the district administration led by executive magistrates were also working to deal with the traffic situation.
Meanwhile, an eight-kilometre-long tailback was seen in the morning on the east side of Bangabandhu Bridge on the Dhaka-Tangail Highway. Toll collection on the bridge was also halted multiple times and a number of vehicles broke down on the road and met accidents.
However, later in the afternoon, the situation started to improve despite having pressure of vehicles and no traffic congestion was sustained.
Zahid Hasan, in charge of Elenga Highway Police Out-Post, said that although there was traffic congestion at various places on the east of Bangabandhu Bridge from Elenga in the morning, it decreased as the day progressed.
Now the vehicles are running at normal speed. Traffic pressure may increase after the afternoon, reports our Tangail correspondent.
Meanwhile, our Narayanganj correspondent reports that traffic was normal on the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet highways in Narayanganj.
“No major traffic jams have been reported on the roads so far. However, in some places light congestion was seen at the crossing of the roads, but it did not turn into a long traffic jam,” Sharfuddin, inspector in charge of Shimrail of the highway police said in the afternoon.
Vehicles on Dhaka-Aricha and Nabinagar-Chandra highways were seen to be running normally. Passengers are waiting for transports at important points like Hemayetpur, Ulail, Savar Bus Stand, Nabinagar, and Bypail areas.
Azizul Haque, officer-in-charge (OC) of Savar Highway Police Station, said that the road condition is normal so far. Traffic pressure may increase as the day progresses. “But we are on the road. Hope the passengers can return home without suffering,” he said.
In the capital, Sadarghat launch terminal-bound passengers faced traffic congestion to reach the terminal since noon. Thousands of passengers boarded launches to leave for Southern districts in the morning while the launches were seen leaving the terminal with extra passengers.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury visited the launch terminal in the afternoon and said that passengers don’t need to board on the launch roofs like the previous Eid journeys as the number of passengers has dropped after the opening of the Padma Bridge.
Meanwhile, the train journey was almost smooth but many trains missed the schedule. The passengers alleged that a large number of standing passengers boarded the compartment making their journey uncomfortable. Many passengers rushed to the Kamalapur Railway Station in the early hours on Tuesday but faced the late departure of up to two hours.
Kamalapur station authority however claimed that some trains arrived at the station late which caused the delay.
Kamalapur Station Manager Masud Sarwar said that they carried out adequate inspections considering the safety of passengers and that took extra hours to leave from Dhaka.
