Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
The holyday makers have started returning to capital Dhaka after celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr with their near and dear ones in different district towns and villages.
They enjoyed hassle-free journey this time due to necessary steps taken by the government on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, which was celebrated across the country on Saturday.
The public and private offices opened on Monday after Eid holidays.
People, especially service holders, were seen to reach Dhaka by launches, trains and buses on Monday without facing any major troubles on their ways as the highways and ferry ghats did not witness excessive rush till Monday morning.
No fatal causalities and damages were reported centering accidents on national roads and waterways during the Eid holidays. But 10 people were killed in a stray road accident in Nilphamari yesterday.
The journey schedule of buses, trains and launches have been seen almost normal as no tailback occurred on highways, including Dhaka-Chattogram and Dhaka-Dinajpur highways like the previous years.
Even the office-goers attended their work places on the first day (Monday) in due time as all types of transports plied on their trucks without any disturbance.
The low-income people also made their journey by city service buses and other vehicles based on the special consider of the law enforcers, according to government’s instruction.
The passengers also moved on different types of transports without fall in danger like mugging, shooting, pick pocketing as law enforcers have taken extra security measures across the country ahead of Eid.
Trucks, lorries and covered vans have not allowed to ply the roads three days before Eid.
The roadside kitchen markets have been removed, and construction and repairing of all highways stopped seven days ahead of Eid. Besides, mobile courts are conducting operation to control unfit and outdated vehicles on highways and unauthorised parking in the city.
Vigilance teams, comprising officials from different departments of the ministry, have started work at Sayedabad, Gabtoli and Mohakhali bus terminals to prevent overcharging, overloading, and public sufferings to make the comfortable journey.
Ansar men have been deployed to help police for traffic management in important entry and exit points of Dhaka city.
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) opened a control room for traffic management in coordination with all stakeholders, and it remained open for seven days starting four days before Eid.
All CNG stations remain opened 24 hours for 14 days starting seven days before Eid, while the garment factories will open on different dates.
Meanwhile, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday categorically said this year’s Eid journey of the homebound people became more comfortable than the previous years.
He also said that there were many pressures on roads in last three days but now the roads became free of traffic congestion as per news from various sources, including monitoring cells of Communication Ministry and highway police.
“The journey of homebound people on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr was comfortable as the government has taken coordinated and planned steps.”
The minister came up with the remarks while exchanging greetings with the reporters at his Secretariat office on the first working day after Eid vacation.
“The number of road crashes and loss of lives is less than the previous years,” he said.
Obaidul also claimed that people reached Chattogram from Dhaka ahead of Eid within four hours.
Nasrin Akter, a passenger of Agamoni Trasport from Rangpur, told The New Nation on Monday morning, “I came Dhaka on Sunday night within five hours.”
Mizanur Rahman, a passenger of Nil-Sagore Express, said that he came Dhaka from Nilphamari on schedule time of the train.
Asaduzzaman, a passenger of Sundarban-12, said that launch journey was hassle-free comparing the previous years.
Mina akter, a passenger, said that she made her journey by Raza City bus to their village home at Panchagarh before Eid-day within 11 hours and back to the city office on Monday morning by taking 10 hours.
Atikul Islam. Additional Inspector General (Highways) of Police said that they did not receive any information of tailback on national roads, but vehicles pressure and slow speed on different roads have been reported.
