Highways see mad rush of transports

Country's all key highways witnessed a mad rush of vehicles as people, braving all hassles and road risks, began massing out of the capital Friday to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr festival at ancestral homes.
Thousands of Eid holidaymakers started thronging the capital's bus, rail and launch stations from early in the morning in hope of making hassle-free journey that ensures celebration of the festival with their near and dear ones.
During a flying visit to Mohakhali and Gabtoli bus terminals, Kamalapur rail-station and Sadarghat launch terminal, the stations were all found filled with passengers, waiting minutes in queue to get into their respective transport.
A number of passengers, especially women and children, suffered most amid the mass exodus from the overcrowded city. Some of them were also seen desperately moving here and there to manage tickets on the first day of the formal start of Eid journey.    
"The situation took a turn for the worse in the afternoon when public and private officials reached the stations with their families after the official hours," says a spot account of the scenes.
While talking to this FE correspondent, most passengers at Mohakhali and Gabtoli bus terminals raised the allegation of around 15 percent fare hike by the transport operators to cash in on the peak period.
Md. Abu Hanif, an electrical engineer at Chittagong-based Haque & Sons, said he managed to get into a Tangail-bound bus of Dhaleswari transport line after a struggle in the early morning.
"The transport operator charged Tk 150 instead of official rate of Tk 120. There is no scope to bargain about the increased fare as many passengers were waiting in the line silently to bear the fare-related trouble," he said.
Some of the buses were also seen taking additional passengers on rooftop outside the terminals to dodge the eye of the vigilance teams, putting the safety and security of the holidaymakers at risk.
"We finally started the journey. I don't know what happens on the highways and how much time will require for reaching the destination," said Abdul Moin, a passenger of a Rajbari-bound bus of Rajbari Paribahan.
Many at the bus-ticket counters, who preserved few tickets, were seen busy selling those in a hurry on Friday noon.
Md Arshadul Islam got two tickets of Hanif Paribahan for July26 night to go to Saidpur in Nilphamari.
He told the FE: "I tried several days to get tickets but failed. I am astonished that the counterman now gave the tickets easily."
College Gate counter manger of Hanif Paribahan Md Anisur Rahman said vacation of educational institutions much earlier and likely longer holidays have given them comfort.
"But, traffic jam may occur on July 27 night as most of the service- holders will start leaving the capital on the day," he said.
He said a notable number of people, most of them students, had left the city much earlier.
"And a significant number of service-holders started going home from July 24 (night) as they managed two days' leave (July 27 and July 31 -- probably an office day) so that they could enjoy a nine- day leave from July 25 to August 2.
Eid will be observed on July 29 or July 30, based on the sighting of the Shawal moon.
Manager of Nabil Paribahan, a northern region-based bus operator, Md Shafiq Ahmed told the FE until Friday evening there had been no sign of major traffic congestion on Nabinagar-Baipail-Mirzapur or Ashulia-Baipail-Mirzapur highway.
When contacted, Deputy Inspector-General (Highway Police) Asaduzzaman Miah said they had made special arrangements on the country's major highways like Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Faridpur to make those active round the clock.
"We've done well so far. With Eid coming closer, the pressure of passenger-carrying vehicles are increasing that makes our jobs difficult. Anyway, we're prepared for the worst," he said.  
Kamalpur Railway Station (KRS), Airport and Cantonment Stations in the city witnessed a mad rush Friday.
No major schedule failure was observed, but people with standing tickets were more in numbers compared with sitting tickets.
A number of people were, as usually, seen on the train roof, taking life risk.
"Nilsagar Express was one-and-a-half-hour late, and other few intercity trains were 30-45 minutes' late, but other trains, both mail and intercity, maintained schedule," a KRS official said.
Khairul Bashir said security had been beefed up at important rail- stations, including Dhaka, Chittagong and Rajshahi.
Police, RAB, BGB, Ansar, RNB and GRP members have been deployed at the railway stations to maintain order.
Some 166 coaches have been added to the existing ones, while 205 engines are in on operation across the country to ensure smooth train services ahead of the Eid.
The whole of Sadarghat and its adjacent areas were humming with home-goers of coastal regions.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) and private launch operators' special launch service started and people were leaving the city hugely.
Nearly 43 launches left Dhaka on Friday, full of passengers.
BIWTA Chairman Shamsuddoha Khandaker told the FE: "We have taken special security measures at the Sadarghat launch terminal to avoid any untoward incident."
"We will use helicopters to enhance monitoring of movement of passenger vessels and check the overloading of passengers to avoid any untoward incident ahead of the Eid," he told the FE.
Meanwhile, as part of the Eid special service, a total of 900 BRTC buses - 500 from Dhaka and 400 from elsewhere - stared their special service from July 21 to three days after Eid so that passengers can reach their destinations safely.