The state bus entity BRTC will launch an Eid special bus service for nine days from April 14 to facilitate home-goers expecting to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr in districts outside Dhaka.
The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) will start selling tickets from Motijheel, Joarsahara, Kalyanpur, Gabtoli, Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Jatrabari, Gazipur and Narayanganj depots on Sunday.
It will also keep 60 buses standby in front of depots and bus terminals for emergency service from April 18, according to a notification issued on Thursday.
Motijheel depot will control buses bound for Dhaka to Khulna, Daukandi, Damuda, Khaserhat, Dinajpur, Rangpur and Netrakona routes.
On the other hand, Kalyanpur depot will control buses bound for Bhanga, Rangpur, Panchagarh, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Kushtia, Rajshahi, Ranishangkail, Naogaon, Netrakona, Thakurgaon and Dinajpur.
Under Gabtoli depot, Dhaka-Bhanga, Gopalganj, Barishal, Dashmina of Patuakhali, Aricha, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Aricha and Paturia Jashore routes will be operated.
Dhaka Poisharhat, Biswa road-Panchdona, Rangpur, Naogaon, Joypurhat, Tangail, Mymensingh and Bogra routes will be under Joarsahara bus depot.
Dhaka-Barishal, Rangpur, Kushtia, Bogra, Kurigram, Dinajpur, Mymensingh and Naogaon routes under Mirpur bus depot.
Mohammadpur bus depot will control Dhaka-Shariatpur, Faridpur, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Bogura and Naogaon routes.
Gazipur bus depot will control Biswaroad-Panch- dona, Tangail, Netrakona, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Kurigram routes.
Dhaka-Rangpur-Shariatpur route will be under the control of Jatrabari bus depot while Dhaka-Gosairhat, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Nilphamari, Naogaon, Bogra, Gaiban -dha and Pabna routes under control of Narayanganj bus depot.
On the other hand, Narsingdi, Madaripur, Charmuguria and Rangpur routes under Narsingdi bus depot.
The notification says detailed information will be available on its website www.brtc.gov.bd and depot managers (operations) can be contacted over phone.
Motijheel depot can be contacted via 01711708089, Kalyanpur depot via 01711435213, Gabtoli depot via 01784520900, Joarsahara via 01711391514, Mirpur depot via 01711392087, Moha- mmadpur depot via 01712382144, Gazipur depot via 01758880011, Jatrabari depot via 01919465166, Narayanganj depot via 01715652681 and Narsingdi depot via 01553349567.
Train tickets
Meanwhile, the sale of advance train tickets starts online from today (Friday) for Eid holidaymakers, reports UNB.
The commuters have to purchase their tickets online and mobile apps.
For this, commuters have to register through rail ticketing portal 'Rail Sheba' or through sending SMS via handsets by showing NID/passport/birth certificate.
Rail tickets for April 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 will be available on April 07, 08, 09, 10 and 11 respectively.
The sale of return tickets will begin from April 15.
Return tickets for April 25, 26, 27, 29, 29 and 30 will be available for April 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20.
On the occasion of Eid, 'Mitali Express' and 'Maitree Express' trains will remain suspended from April 18-27 and April 20-27 respectively.
However, 'Bandhan Express' will run as per schedule. There will be no stopover of Dhaka-bound Ekata, Drutojan, Panchagarh, Nilsagar, Kurigram, Lalmoni and Rangpur Express trains at Dhaka airport station from April 17 to the day before Eid.
smunima@yahoo.com