With the end of the 10-day Eid-ul-Azha holiday, offices, courts, commercial establishments and educational institutions are set to reopen on Sunday. As a result, working people are returning to Dhaka in large numbers, leaving behind their loved ones. Alongside road and rail, river routes also witnessed a heavy rush of passengers.
On Saturday, the capital’s main river port, Sadarghat terminal, was overwhelmed with crowds of returnees.
However, travellers expressed frustration over the intense heat and complaints about excessive fares demanded by rickshaw and CNG drivers after disembarking from launches.
A midday visit to the terminal area showed one launch after another arriving at the pontoons from different parts of the country. With the end of the holiday, the number of returnees was significantly higher than in recent days.
Passengers were seen hurrying towards various parts of the city immediately after disembarking. However, many were forced to leave the terminal on foot due to disagreements with rickshaw and CNG drivers over inflated fares.
Despite the challenges, several passengers described their river journey as relatively comfortable. At the same time, launches were seen departing from Sadarghat with fewer outbound passengers.
Outside the terminal, bank officer Yakub Hossain was seen bargaining with rickshaw drivers over fares.
“I need to get to Wari. The usual fare from here is at most Tk80. None of the rickshaw drivers are willing to go for less than Tk150. They’re not even agreeing to Tk120. This is nothing short of daylight robbery,” he said.
Enamul Haque, who had arrived from Chandpur, was looking for a CNG to Mirpur’s Kazipara.
“It’s as if the CNG drivers now own the entire city. They’re charging whatever they want. Nobody is regulating this,” he said.
“They’re asking Tk1,000 for a trip to Kazipara, which usually costs Tk400. This is more than double the normal rate. The government should monitor this situation,” he added.
According to BIWTA sources, as of 4pm on the day, 88 launches had docked at the pontoons from various routes. In comparison, 106 launches had arrived at the terminal the day before.
Speaking to Bangla Tribune, Mobarak Hossain, joint director of BIWTA’s Dhaka River Port, said: “Today we’ve seen the highest passenger pressure since Eid. With the holidays ending, this was expected.”
He added: "So far, 88 launches have arrived at the terminal. We are continuously monitoring the situation and doing our utmost to ensure the best possible service for passengers.”
