Unpleasantness befell Eid holidaymakers during their travel by roads and rivers as buses, trains and launches – three affordable modes of transportation – fell behind their schedules.
A heavy rush of vehicles created congestion on highways yesterday since vacationers joined the mad rush to embark on their journey home for celebration of Eid ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of the Muslims.
The vehicles did not exactly get stuck in the three major highways — Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Aricha, but were moving very slowly.
Bangladesh Railway authorities that introduced special trains since October 11 failed to maintain schedule till yesterday while bus companies set examples of even six to eight hours’ late.
Sufferings on highways
Our Gazipur correspondent reports there was a 40-kilometre congestion from Chandra of Gazipur to Bangabandhu Bridge in Tangail since yesterday morning.
Konabari-Salna Highway police station’s Officer-in-Charge Alamgir Sarker told the Dhaka Tribune over phone in the evening that the pressure of vehicles had been mounting with the time passing by.
Konabari, Mouchak, Safipur and Chandra, Jirani and Tangail witnessed a heavy gridlock, with Gazipur town and Dhaka-Tripur surrounding areas having the worst of it.
On Dhaka-Tangail highway, pressure of inbound vehicles was less immense. The tailback stretched from Konabari to Mirzapur and Ashulia’s Bipal to Chandra.
On Dhaka-Aricha highway, a 20-kilometre jam was created as locals blocked a road in front of Saturia bus stop of Manikganj after a CNG-run bus caught fire around 10am.
Disruptions to schedule
Officials of Kamlapur Railway Station said special train, Deyanganj express, delayed one hour and 15 minutes in the morning.
Mahanagr Parabat left the station around an hour late. Besides, every local train departed the platform from 30 minutes to one and a half hours late.
According to the railway officials, to reach the destination and come back to Kamlapur, every train was delayed at least three hours.
Abu Taher, director general of Bangladesh Railway, described disruptions to schedule as ‘typical example’ during mad rush to travel home ahead of Eid.
“We need time to clear the platform after trains reached Kamlapur. Besides, it kills sometime while passengers are getting on and off the trains,” he said.
Bus passengers suffered a lot
Most bus companies missed their schedules yesterday. The bus staff attribute jam on highways to disruption to schedule. Many passengers alleged that the companies emphasised special trips in comparison with the regular ones.
Counter Manager Shyamol Dutta of Sakura Paribahan said on the occasion of Eid they always kept in mind that every bus would at least be half an hour late to depart the station.
“One or two days before Eid, city buses ply on highways for extra income. These buses create extra pressure and tailbacks,” he added.
Launch travellers face unique experience
Apart from the scheduled launches, more than 60 special launches apparently had no specific schedules.
Passengers rushing to launch terminals complying with the launch authorities’ instruction contributed to traffic congestion on roads leading to Sadarghat.
Many were also seen walking miles with bag and family members.