Staff Reporter :
Though the government has announced a three-day holiday on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest Muslim religious festival, starting from Saturday, the service holders got extra one day leave before the actual holiday for the Eid vacation.
Since morning people were seen with their family members swarming on the streets of the capital to catch buses to reach the inter-district bus terminals, railway stations and Sadarghat as their main Eid journey started from these terminals.
Due to the heavy pressure of people in the streets, the city service buses were packed with people along with their luggage.
Most of the city services turned into gate-lock services and the conductors were charging extra fare on the occasion of the Eid.
As the city services became gate-lock services, many people waited for hours in the streets to catch the buses.
But being frustrated of catching the local bus service, many were seen hiring the rickshaws, CNG and ride-sharing services with high fare.
Abdul Khaleque, who would go to Noakhali, was waiting at the Agargaon bus stand for one hour to catch a local bus, but he failed to catch one as all the buses were locked.
Finally he hired a rickshaw by Tk 300 to reach Gulistan and from there he would go to Sayedabad by other means.
“I have been waiting for one hour. But no bus was free. All the local buses bound for Syedabad were packed with people. Then I hired the rickshaw to reach Gulistan. From there I will go to Sayedabad by other means,” he told this correspondent.
The inter-district bus terminals including Gabtoli, Syedabad and Mahakhali were teeming with people to catch the buses to reach their homes to celebrate Eid.
The bus counters said that their buses were arriving late due to heavy pressure of vehicles in the highways.
Visiting some of the bus terminals, it was found that Eid travellers were waiting for hours as their buses could not arrive the counters in time due to traffic gridlock.
Many became tired for waiting for hours for their designated buses and passing lazy times.
Shyamoli Paribahan counter at Asad gate said that some of their buses were late to arrive on the counter where the passengers were waiting to get in.
They said that such situation has been created due to heavy pressure of vehicles including the cattle loaded vehicles bound for different Haats in the capital.
The trucks and pick-ups which were returning after unloading the sacrificial animals turned into people carrying vehicles.
The low income people were seen rushing behind the trucks and pick-ups at the Gabtoli to reach their destination.
Whatever means of vehicles were available; people were trying to catch them to reach home without caring the risk of long journey.
The Kamalapur Railway Station and Sadarghat were also full of people bound for their homes to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha.
