Slow traffic on Dhaka-M'singh highway as garment factories' Eid holiday begins

Traffic is building up on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, particularly at the Chandana intersection in Gazipur, as garment factory workers are heading to their village homes to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with their loved ones.

The situation was particularly severe around 11:00am today. Police said the congestion occurred as workers from all garment factories in Gazipur are leaving their for home.

Hundreds of passengers were seen standing on the side of the highway with bags in their hands, some in tears. Passengers alleged that transport fares had doubled.

Photo: Star

Saidur Rahman, a worker at TNZ Garment Factory, told The Daily Star, "I will go to Rajshahi. I came to the intersection with my family at 6:00am. I am sitting at the bus counter. The bus fare was Tk 1,150. Today's fare is Tk 2,400. Now I will go to Chandra by CNG. Later I will go to Rajshahi from Chandra."

Sharif Hossain, 45, said, "I am going to Mymensingh. There are no seats in the buses, I have been trying to get on the bus for an hour. There are no empty seats. Now I am forced to get on the CNG. The fare is Tk 500 per person to go to Mymensingh. If there are five people, they will go. Not everyone wants to go for double the fare. I have a small child with me. I have to go."

A policeman on duty under the highway flyover said, "Auto-rickshaws are roaming around unnecessarily at Chandana intersection. Shopkeepers are doing business on the road. I have warned them that I will take away their vehicle's key if they create traffic on the road."

He added that even then, the auto-rickshaw drivers were not listening, nor were the shopkeepers.

At 11:00am, Tariqul Islam, traffic police inspector on duty at Chandana intersection in Gazipur, told The Daily Star that traffic on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway was moving very slowly.

"However, we are trying to ensure that it does not stop," he added.

The Industrial Police said that 2,176 registered garment factories in Gazipur are scheduled to begin their Eid holidays from today, although some factories closed as early as yesterday.