Holidaymakers are leaving Dhaka to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with their families in great numbers. Ignoring the risks, many of them are choosing trucks to save some money due to high bus fares.
Traffic and passenger pressure has been increasing on Bangabandhu Bridge West Highway as North Bengal people are leaving Dhaka to celebrate Eid with their relatives.
On Wednesday, after visiting the highway from Bangabandhu Bridge West to Hatikumrul Golchattar in Sirajganj, it was observed that people were returning to the village in cargo trucks and pickups ignoring the intense heat along with other vehicles.
People who were returning home in a truck in Kaddar Mor area on the west side of Bangabandhu Bridge,
said: "We are garments workers, and our wages are very low. It is not possible for us to go home with the high bus fare. So we are returning home by truck to save money."
Bogra-bound truck passengers Sobahan said: “We can not afford the high bus fare due to our extremely low income therefore we are going home by truck. We have to endure a lot of suffering to celebrate Eid with our relatives. We are travelling home in a truck while enduring the sweltering heat under the searing sun, despite the fact that there is no traffic on the road."
Another truck passenger, Hriday, said that he works for a low-paid job in Dhaka. He cannot afford to pay extra bus fare. So he is going to his village Natore to celebrate Eid with his relatives in a truck in intense heat while fasting and taking the risk of paying low fare."
Hatikumrul Highway police station Officer in Charge Md Badrul Kabir said: "The highway was empty since morning. However, the number of vehicles is increasing slightly. There is not much crowd of people on the highway during Eid.”
“People are returning home by buses, private cars, motorcycles as well as trucks and pickups. However, the highway police are active to control any situation on the highway and make the Eid journey hassle-free,” he added.