The city has got her old look back with a large number of vehicles on roads, bustling offices and crowds in shopping malls, but most dwellers seemed to be in panic fearing troubled days ahead.
After the fifth countrywide rail, roads and waterways blockade, which ended at 5pm after 83 hours yesterday gave people a chance to pass a normal day.
Those who had been stuck in the capital for days thronged at the bus terminals, launch terminals and rail stations to go back home. Many went out home for shopping and to finish piled up unfinished work.
“Our test exams started in the last half of November. To finish the four papers we had to wait more than a month as the college authority kept deferring the dates,” said Khademul Bashar, a masters’ student of Titumir College.
Six of them were waiting at the Gabtoli bus terminal to go to Khulna, their village home.
“We have calculated that we will probably get at least three days to make a trip back home. I think there will be no blockade on Christmas and the opposition will spare Thursday as the next day is the weekend,” Bashar explained.
“God will save us if anything happens on the highway,” he said.
Like him hundreds of passengers thronged at the inter-district bus terminal. Many of them said they were fed up with the political confrontation that has already claimed more than 120 lives. After the blockade, buses started plying from the evening to the districts.
A home going crowd was also seen at the Komalapur railway station and they suffered as the trains were late and in some aspects, it was uncertain whether they would arrive at all. The trains reached as much as one and a half hour to eight hours late, much to the suffering of the passengers.
Dr Azharul Islam, a passenger who was waiting for Rangpur Express, said his train was supposed to start around 12noon but at 4pm it still had not reached the station from Rangpur.
“I do not take food outdoors due to my illness. Since morning I have only been drinking water,” he said.
A second year student of Dhaka Commerce College, Isanul Hasan, said Khulna-bound Provati Express was supposed to leave at 5:30am but it had not reached the station yet.
“I was supposed to be at home within 1pm. My parents are anxious and keep calling. So, I have switched off my phone,” annoyed Isanul said.
The Railway authorities said trains failed to maintain schedule due to the fear of sabotage.
“We have set the maximum speed for all trains to 40 kilometres per hour which was maximum 72 kilometres. So every train misses the schedule,” said Khairul Bashir, the station manager of Kamalapur railway station.
He said trains were also halting at junctions for the escort trains which inspected the rail lines first. The process needed extra time.
“We are trying to keep the schedule. But if the sabotages do not stop it will be hard,” he said.
Meanwhile, a huge crowd was also seen at the Sadarghat launch terminal since morning. BIWTA officials said 32 launches had left the ghat to the northern destinations till 2pm.