Ensure safety of home-bound people

Eid, one of the biggest festivals for Muslims, drives countless Dhaka-dwellers to rush to their hometowns. People from all walks of life want to spend Eid with their loved ones back home.

But it is a matter of despair that these home-bound people face numerous obstacles during their journey. Their troubles begin with purchasing transport tickets at inflated prices, followed by dreadful traffic jam and accidents. As a last resort, many people even climb to the roof of trains, putting their lives at great risk, just to be able to travel back home. Trains, buses and all sorts of water transports are overloaded by an excessive number of passengers, which raises the possibility of deadly accidents. One mishap can turn this joyous and festive atmosphere into a horrible tragedy for a family.

This is a common scenario every year but no one seems to be worried about it. The authorities must take steps to make the Eid journey for travellers smoother and hassle-free. Additional modes of transport should be made available owing to the great demand for transport during such festivals. Furthermore, transport officials should be fair and more efficient in distributing tickets and must ensure safe journeys for home-goers during Eid.