Eid holidaymakers start journey home

CHITTAGONG, Jul 15: Port city's train and bus stations witnessed a mad rush of vehicles as people, braving all hassles and road risks, started massing out on Thursday to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr at their ancestral homes.
Thousands of Eid holidaymakers started thronging the railway station and bus counters at the Station Road bus station, Kadamtali bus terminal, Dampara bus counters and Alangkar intersection in the city in the morning with the hope to have a hassle-free journey.
Thousands of train passengers have left Chittagong railway station with advance tickets bought from July 9 to 13. The special train journey started on July 13.
Station Manager of Chittagong Railway Station Abul Kalam Azad said all the inter-city trains left Chittagong on time. The trains carried the highest number of passengers on Wednesday, he said.
Although all public and private offices remained open on Thursday most of the people have taken leave for the day from their authorities, passengers at the railway station said.
The Station Manager said the Suborno Express, Mohanagar Prabhati and Chattala Express left Chittagong Station for Dhaka on schedule. Paharika Express left for Sylhet. Bijoy Express left Chittagong for Mymemsingh on time.
During a visit to Station Road inter-district bus counters and Kadamtali inter-district bus terminal all the stations were found filled with passengers, waiting in queues to get into their respective transports.
The passengers had booked seats in advance for trains and buses but the BIWTA (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority) did not arrange for advance tickets.
The BIWTA however launched special steamers for the passengers of Sandwip and Hatia.
Booking clerks at the bus counters said all tickets on the occasion of the Eid festival were sold out well in advance but a good number of passengers for different districts could not buy tickets.
General Secretary of Inter-district Bus Owners Association Kafil Uddin Ahmed said roads were damaged in many parts on all the highways including the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. But they are being repaired now.
"If the roads are clear and risk-free the buses will ply on schedule. But we are afraid of rains during journey. The rain will severely destroy the newly repaired roads," he said.
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