Home-goers in Bangladesh brave rain, hassles

With Eid holidays beginning from today, the chaotic rush of holiday makers reached its peak yesterday as thousands streamed out of the capital defying the rain and overcrowding of transports to go home.

Heavy traffic on highways resulted in up to 10 hours of delays for people heading to the north.

However, most trains and launches were on time.

The city's bus, train and launch terminals dealt with the huge crowd of people heading home yesterday. Finding no space inside, many were seen travelling on the roofs of buses, launches and trains.

Transport operators claimed that the rush would continue until early tomorrow (Friday) because many factories and businesses would remain open until then.

Rain added to the woes of passengers.

Met office yesterday evening forecast that rainfall would keep on decreasing over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the hustle and bustle of the capital quieted down a little as many had left the city over the last few days.

HIGHWAYS

The congested Dhaka-Tangail highway had around a 10km tailback from Chandra intersection of Gazipur to Mirzapur of Tangail for three hours in the morning, reports our correspondent.

The jam eased off around 9:00am but vehicles had to move very slowly all daylong.

Additional law enfoAmanagement there, said highway police.

On Dhaka-Chittagong highway, vehicular movement significantly slowed down in around a three-km stretch from Meghna-Gumti Bridge to Bhatarchar of Munshiganj yesterday afternoon, reports our Munshiganj correspondent.

The congestion at Kanchpur Bridge in Narayanganj, which connects the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet highways, was usual, said transport operators.

There was also congestion at Savar Bazar Stand on Dhaka-Paturia highway and at Tongi on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.

However, vehicular movement was smooth on Dhaka-Sylhet highway.

BUS TERMINALS 

The city's bus terminals saw increased flow of passengers yesterday.

Hundreds of passengers were seen waiting at temporary sheds at Kalyanpur and Gabtoli areas.

Due to slow vehicular movement on Dhaka-Tangail highway, people heading for the north were enduring delays of up to 10 hours, said Mosharaf Hossain, manager of Hanif Paribahan.

"My bus was scheduled to start at 10:30am. Now it is around 2:00pm. But the bus is yet to arrive," said Abdullah Al Sakib, who was waiting to go to Rajshahi at Kalyanpur.

At Sayedabad and Mohakhali bus terminals, hundreds of passengers were seen waiting for their buses as well. 

KAMALAPUR

A large number of people thronged the Kamalapur Railway Station yesterday. Many of them had bought tickets in advance while some intended to buy them there.

"I did not buy tickets earlier because I was busy with work. Now I'll try to get on a train and travel standing," said Mahbub Ullah, who was going to Mymensingh.

Most of the trains were on time but three trains heading to the north were, on average, two hours behind schedule, Habibur Rahman, additional director general (operations) of Bangladesh Railway told The Daily Star.

SADARGHAT

Like every year, thousands heading for the southern districts gathered at the Sadarghat Launch Terminal to get on launches.

Cabin tickets of launches were sold out earlier. Most of the passengers crammed on to the decks and roofs of launches, defying directives of the authorities concerned.

FERRY TERMINALS

Around 150 vehicles were waiting in queue to board on ferries at Paturia in Manikganj yesterday evening, reports our correspondent.

However, there were a small number of vehicles using the Shimulia-Kawrakandi ferry service, our correspondent said.

Over 60 lakh people leave the capital ahead of Eid every year, according to transport operators.