Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has instructed everyone concerned to make preparations from now to ensure smooth trips home ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, like Eid-ul-Fitr.
“Travel during Eid-ul-Azha is more challenging than during Eid-ul-Fitr – there will be cattle markets, animal-laden vehicles and rain along with the Eid journey,” the minister said in a views-exchange meeting with officials of the Bridges Division and Bangladesh Bridge Authority at Setu Bhaban in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Considering all these things, preparations should be made from now.
Quader said: "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel built under the Karnaphuli in Chittagong by next September."
He said that since April 20, 77,000 motorcycles have crossed the Padma Bridge. So far Tk77 lakh has been collected in tolls.
Apart from this, Tk660 crore in tolls in total has been collected since the Padma Bridge was launched.
Meanwhile, the first instalment of Tk316 crore has been paid to the government. The amount equal to the second instalment will be deposited next June, said the minister.
Stating that this year's Eid journey has been comfortable, Quader said that the journey back to work has also been also comfortable so far. Complications with traffic jams and worries were very less this time. But accidents did not decrease. So many bridges and so many roads have been built, but positive progress is not happening here.
“We are not giving up. The work is challenging. It is possible to overcome it. Already, the road safety project worth Tk5,000 crores has been approved. Work will start soon. If this is implemented, the number of accidents will decrease,” said the minister.
This year's Eid journey was a result of collective effort, the road was good. That is why the Eid journey has been comfortable, he added
