Hassle-free journey home

We happily noticed comparatively hassle-free travel on the country's highways, waterways and rail this year even though a large number of people headed home for the Eid holidays. This is indeed relieving for us as every year we are used to hear bad news like launch disasters, and mile after mile of gridlocks on the country's highways on all routes. Though trains and buses are over crowded, and launches too, we have not heard of any disaster. There was no report of the train tickets going to the hands of the black marketers. The bus tickets though exorbitant at times, were available.
The office bearers of the trade unions in the transport sectors as well as the transport owners association were helpful and cooperative. Media report suggested that the authorities of the BRTA were on round-the-clock vigilance at different booths of the city's inter-district bus stations.
Another praiseworthy measure taken by the authorities was not to allow vehicles to stop on the highways to pick up or drop off passengers. The authorities have also been able to keep exits to the city and intersections free of congestion.
Though Kamalapur Railway Station saw a huge rush of passengers, they were managed nicely without causing delays or cancellation of trains.
Another unique measure to manage the riverine traffic was the first-ever aerial surveillance of the river routes with two helicopters. A private organization provided the helicopter free of cost.
Despite all these, there might have been some kind of irregularities, but the positive measures make us happy and it helps us ignore the irregularities and mismanagement that were of course there. We wish the return be the same.

Azharuddin Chaklader
Kamalapur, Dhaka