City's transport hubs witness big rushes of Eid holidaymakers

Railway stations, bus and launch terminals witnessed big rushes of holidaymakers on Sunday as a large number of city-dwellers left the capital for their native homes to celebrate Eid-ul-Ajha.
Visiting Kamalapur Railway Station and Sadarghat Launch Terminal and bus terminals, FE correspondents saw a large number of people leaving the capital for celebrating Eid with their near and dear ones.
Since Sunday morning, travelers were seen flocking to the launch terminals, and bus and railway stations in a large number.
Security at the railway station was satisfactory as law-enforcing agencies remained alert to ensure a smooth and hassle free journey for the home-goers.
A railway police official told the FE that the Bangladesh Railway (BR) authorities were trying their level best to  ensure a safe and comfortable Eid journey for the people. A three-tier checking system has been set up at the railway station. No one can enter the station without a ticket.
Passengers who failed to manage advanced tickets online, were seen standing in long queues in front of ticket counters at the station to procure standing tickets for different routes intercity trains.
Some 25 per cent of total seats of a train could be sold as standing tickets.
Passengers during their journey expressed satisfaction for being able to leave the city smoothly and hassle-free.
"I failed to buy advance tickets for my family online. Now I stand in a queue to purchase standing tickets," Md Selim Samad, a private service holder, who was intending to travel to Rajshahi with his family members, said.
A BR official, however, said most of the trains have left Kamalapur Station on schedules.
Though the government announced a seven-day Eid vacation from today (Monday), many city dwellers left Dhaka on Sunday.
However, many holidaymakers also reported that they had to face problems to reach bus terminals due to shortage of city transports in different routes. Furthermore, private and ride-sharing services were allegedly charging extra ahead of the Eid vacation, they claimed.
Minara Parvin along with her mother-in-law and her house help was to travel to northern Panchagarh by bus. Due to shortage of buses she had to hire a CNG-run auto rickshaw with additional fare.
"This has become a common scenario during every Eid vacation. Increased transport cost causes additional burden for the home goers," she told the FE when hiring the auto rickshaw in Uttar Badda.
The scarcity of city transports emerged ahead of Eid vacation as many city buses have been hired for long route journeys, particularly for the low income people.
A Gabtoli-bound CNG driver, Rofique Mia, said there has been a big rush of holidaymakers at bus terminals since early Sunday.
The city's Mohakhali, Gabtoli and Sayedabad bus terminals witnessed increased crowds of Eid holidaymakers.
Some passengers said long-distance buses are leaving on time, but some others were talking about sufferings due to the extra pressures on some routes.
Meanwhile, security arrangements have been beefed up at bus terminals and highways to ensure a smooth and safe Eid journey.
Furthermore, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has imposed restrictions on the movement of goods vehicles on the highway to ensure the safe and smooth travel of the home goers.
Meanwhile hundreds of thousands of city dwellers left the capital on Sunday via water vessels from the Sadarghat Launch Terminals ahead of the holy Ed-ul-Ajha.
To cope with the increased passengers' rushes, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) have deployed special fleets, steamer services.
The authorities introduced special vessel services from the Bosila Launch Ghat to help the holidaymakers avoid traffic congestions on different roads while heading toward Sadarghat launch terminals.
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