Mad rush for home
While tens of thousands leave the capital to celebrate the Eid-ul Azha with near and dear ones, sacrificial animals are brought to the city for those who stay back. Photo: Shafiqul Alam
Shedding the usual hustle and bustle, the metropolis yesterday started showing signs of tranquillity in the coming days as thousands of people left the capital for their homes to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with relatives.
The home-goers, however, faced difficulties in transportation as they crowded the bus and launch terminals and railway stations in the city.
The capital also witnessed huge traffic jams last evening mainly caused by the gatherings of people at the terminals and stations.
Yesterday was the last working day before Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of the Muslims.
A three-day government holiday for Eid-ul-Azha begins today.
Important government buildings in the capital will be illuminated and main streets and central reservations will be decorated with miniature national flags and banners inscribed with "Eid Mubarak".
Except for hospitals, fire service stations and a few media houses, almost all offices, commercial establishments and educational institutions will remain closed during the Eid vacation.
Bangladesh Railway, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation and private bus and lunch companies arranged a huge number of additional transports for homebound people.
The special arrangements, however, could not lessen people's sufferings as the owners and staffers of bus and lunches have been collecting additional charges from them.
The Rapid Action Battalion deployed 7,000 additional forces--2,000 in the capital--and set up 98 camps across the country to ensure security during the Eid.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police has also deployed 8,000 additional personnel, over 200 patrol teams and plainclothes policemen in the capital, and installed 100 check posts.
Dhaka City Corporation has made all sorts of preparations to remove the garbage and wastes of sacrificial animals during the Eid.
The DCC has cancelled Eid holidays of all the staffs and employees of its waste management department. Some 820 additional cleaners with 137 trucks will start cleaning the wastes from 12noon on Eid day.
Besides, six pay loaders, two tyre dodgers, 20 dumpers, seven water-carrying lorries, five trailers and two prime movers will be engaged on Eid day to clean the garbage of 15 makeshift cattle markets of the city, a DCC official said.
The sales of sacrificial animals in the city saw a slight decrease yesterday evening with the prices going up a little although the rush remained high all day long.
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