The extra burden on Eid travellers
Friday, 18 September 2009
A B M Samad
HOW many people leave Dhaka city on the occasion of Eid? No one can say for sure. But, according to guess estimates over five million of the city's 15 million people celebrate Eid in the countryside. The government cannot say that it has no responsibility in ensuring smooth journey for so many travellers during great the festival. And the responsibility goes beyond ensuring safety on the travel routes.
The people also expected for long that the government would not allow manipulation of fares during the festival. This would not be necessary if the transport companies took the steps on their own to save the travellers of the unnecessary burden. But this is not the case. The sufferings, on this score, have been mounting for the people each year. The home ministry should have been alert at least a fortnight ago to stop recurrence of the problem. Obviously the people have given up the hope. They do not expect their experience to be any different during the Eid, only days away.
Newspapers reported in detail the predicament of homebound people. Queuing up before ticket counters at railway stations and launch and bus terminals for hours, they get frustrated not getting the tickets which are sold by black marketeers at higher prices standing next to the queue. People are compelled to buy the tickets at high prices. Do the transport company operators hand over the tickets to the black marketeers for their pecuniary gains? How could else this be the picture each year?
Even for the tickets sold at the ticket counters, the companies charge higher price. It only adds to the burden of the people of modest means. They have to pay through their nose to satisfy the greed of ticket black marketers and their accomplices in the transport companies. The happiness of Eid is spoiled year after year because no government ever took action against the offenders. The issue can no more be overlooked. The hardship of the people on this score with limited means has already increased beyond their ability to bear it any more.
Better late than never. The government should wake up and take action to bring the wrong practice to an end, for good.
HOW many people leave Dhaka city on the occasion of Eid? No one can say for sure. But, according to guess estimates over five million of the city's 15 million people celebrate Eid in the countryside. The government cannot say that it has no responsibility in ensuring smooth journey for so many travellers during great the festival. And the responsibility goes beyond ensuring safety on the travel routes.
The people also expected for long that the government would not allow manipulation of fares during the festival. This would not be necessary if the transport companies took the steps on their own to save the travellers of the unnecessary burden. But this is not the case. The sufferings, on this score, have been mounting for the people each year. The home ministry should have been alert at least a fortnight ago to stop recurrence of the problem. Obviously the people have given up the hope. They do not expect their experience to be any different during the Eid, only days away.
Newspapers reported in detail the predicament of homebound people. Queuing up before ticket counters at railway stations and launch and bus terminals for hours, they get frustrated not getting the tickets which are sold by black marketeers at higher prices standing next to the queue. People are compelled to buy the tickets at high prices. Do the transport company operators hand over the tickets to the black marketeers for their pecuniary gains? How could else this be the picture each year?
Even for the tickets sold at the ticket counters, the companies charge higher price. It only adds to the burden of the people of modest means. They have to pay through their nose to satisfy the greed of ticket black marketers and their accomplices in the transport companies. The happiness of Eid is spoiled year after year because no government ever took action against the offenders. The issue can no more be overlooked. The hardship of the people on this score with limited means has already increased beyond their ability to bear it any more.
Better late than never. The government should wake up and take action to bring the wrong practice to an end, for good.