Holidaymakers throng railway stations, bus-launch terminals

As the Eid-ul-Azha is getting closer, homebound people thronged the railway stations, and bus and launch terminals in the city on Wednesday to reach their respective destinations for celebrating the festival with their near and dear ones.

Kamalapur Railway Station, three major bus terminals and Sadarghat Launch Terminal were seen overcrowded with the home-goers waiting for catching their transports.

Police said the vehicular movement on Dhaka-Tangail, Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet highways remained almost normal till Wednesday evening.

Many passengers were seen travelling on the rooftops of buses and trains defying the instructions of the law enforcement agencies.

Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Masudur Rahman, said around 1.5-2 million city dwellers are expected to leave the city by Wednesday night.

He said around 2.5-3 million other Eid holidaymakers have already left the city over the last one week.  Contacted, police super of Highway police (Comilla), Paritosh Ghosh, said vehicles on both sides of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway were running smoothly as no tailback was seen since the morning to till 7:00pm.

The traffic situation improved compared to Tuesday as the government imposed restrictions on the plying of heavy and long vehicles on the national highways from (Wednesday).   Highway police SP (Dhaka), Shafique, said the Dhaka-Tangail highway and Aricha-Daulatdia ferry route remained almost normal till the evening as long and heavy vehicles are banned on the highways.

Meanwhile, a different scene was seen in Shimulia-Kawrakandi ferry route in Munshiganj as over 300 vehicles got stuck in the Shimulia ghat to cross the river.

Source: unb