DIU Blog

Thousands of home bound passengers confront unspeakable sufferings and harassment due to shortage of transport just ahead of Eid. The scene is not in this Eid-ul-Fitr 2010 as most of the bus terminals, railway stations and launch terminals are found jampacked. Even taking risk of life, passengers are crowding in buses, trains and launches beyond their carrying capacity as there is no other alternative to travel to their respective destinations.

Private operators have increased their daily trips to 2,600 from 1,700, while the number of launches raised from 35 to more than 100. Bangladesh Railway has added extra compartments to its 78 trains running on different inter-district routes, a report says. Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Waterways Transport Association said that nearly one million people would leave the capital city for their village homes by launches from Sadarghat Launch Terminal. At least 40 launches are leaving the terminal every day for different parts of the country.
Railway officials said special, inter-city, commuter, mail and local trains are now running at full capacity from Kamalapur, Joydebpur, Dhaka Cantonment and Airport railway stations. Additional Director General (operation) of Bangladesh Railway said the number of passengers became double for Eid. In a day 70,000 people can travel to respective destinations by 78 trains from the different stations of the country.

Sources said that 2,600 buses leave the capital’s major bus terminals like Gabtoli, Sayedabad and Mohakhali every day and carrying about one lakh home bound people.  Sometimes, people are carried by truck, lorry and even by autirickshaws on the eve of the Eid.

While visiting the Sadarghat Launch Terminal it was found that launches and even boats were carrying passengers more than their capacity.

The better off section of society are availing airways on Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Jessore and Sylhet routes from the capital to go to their homes ahead of the Eid. The rush and humiliation is tolerable in the airways.

I will leave for my hometown Jhenidah by today. I am not among the luckiers who could collect a bus ticket beforehand. Yet I am courageous enough to win the race of journey over my home & thrilled to make a festive Eid with my parents, brother other relatives & friends. The joy of celebrating a hilrious Eid lies in the successful and safe journey to home. I have win over the battle of overcoming hardship of Eid journey so far in life, hopeful to follw the groove this time also!