Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
The scene of risky journey is very common during Eid occasion compare to normal period as several lakh people travel on roof-top of buses, trains, launches and some other unfit vehicles due to inadequate number of long-distance transports, said Atiqul Islam, Deputy Inspector General (Highway Range) of Police.
The journey became alarmingly risky when ticket deprived passengers, mainly low-income people, move on using roof-top of buses, trains and trucks amid high risk of life to save some money, the DIG said.
He said the poor people are also traveling mainly city buses, trucks and some low-quality transports for long distance to celebrate Eid festival that might have the key causes of tailbacks and road accidents on the highways.
As the drivers are steering vehicles for more than five to 15 hours compare to normal days that causes drowsy and absent mind for maximum drivers. As a result, they loss control on the steering and led to fatal road accidents, according to him.
Such as way, a truck driver lost control on his vehicle and 17 people were killed and 11 others injured in a tragic road accident in Rangpur on Saturday. The countrymen also gathered reports of killings of 45 people in separate road accidents in a span of 11 hours yesterday, a high official of Highway Police said.
According to sources, many desperate commuters, particularly the poor who cannot afford overpriced tickets, often undertake perilous journey riding on the roofs of trains, buses, trucks and launches.
Around 15,00,000 lakh passengers can go by bus and 2,75,000 in train while 60,000 in launch normally. But around 85 lakh people generally leave the capital city during Eid occasion, they said.
During visits to Gazipur, Sreepur and Rajendrapur railway stations this correspondent found that thousands of home-bound people traveling on train roof coming from Dhaka to their respective destinations.
Emarat, a worker of ACI factory at Sreepur, said, “I need to go home by any cost. I could not enter the train due to heavy pressure of passengers. Now I climbed on the roof by paying Tk 40 to ladder owner.”
Monir Hossain, a ladder owner of Rajendrapur railway station, said: “Every year we helped people to climb on the train roof and they pay us for this.”
Selim from Sreepur rail station said, “Every year ahead of Eid we gather in the station with ladders to help people though sometimes law enforcers chased us not to help people to ride on train roofs.”
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday urged Eid holidaymakers not to travel on roof of vehicles risking their lives.
“The accident in Rangpur took place due to reckless driving. We shouldn’t travel on vehicles’ roof as it is risky,” said the minister while talking to reporters after visiting the Dhaka-Aricha Highway on Saturday afternoon.
Passenger Alamgir Hossain, unable to find a seat on the Nilsagar Express, was standing by the door on a compartment for his trip to Parbatipur, said “I did not get a ticket so I have to go like this.”
Selim Shikdar, an official of Shyamoli Paribahan, said slow moving and slight traffic gridlocks on the Dhaka-Rangpur Highway creates suffering to people.
At least 50 launches left Dhaka for different destinations in southern part of the country yesterday with over loaded passengers defying the restriction of the authority concerned.
Saiful Hque Khan, Joint Director of Naval Security and Traffic Management, said the passengers boarded on launch as they have no chance to use alternative way to Eid journey.
The scene of risky journey is very common during Eid occasion compare to normal period as several lakh people travel on roof-top of buses, trains, launches and some other unfit vehicles due to inadequate number of long-distance transports, said Atiqul Islam, Deputy Inspector General (Highway Range) of Police.
The journey became alarmingly risky when ticket deprived passengers, mainly low-income people, move on using roof-top of buses, trains and trucks amid high risk of life to save some money, the DIG said.
He said the poor people are also traveling mainly city buses, trucks and some low-quality transports for long distance to celebrate Eid festival that might have the key causes of tailbacks and road accidents on the highways.
As the drivers are steering vehicles for more than five to 15 hours compare to normal days that causes drowsy and absent mind for maximum drivers. As a result, they loss control on the steering and led to fatal road accidents, according to him.
Such as way, a truck driver lost control on his vehicle and 17 people were killed and 11 others injured in a tragic road accident in Rangpur on Saturday. The countrymen also gathered reports of killings of 45 people in separate road accidents in a span of 11 hours yesterday, a high official of Highway Police said.
According to sources, many desperate commuters, particularly the poor who cannot afford overpriced tickets, often undertake perilous journey riding on the roofs of trains, buses, trucks and launches.
Around 15,00,000 lakh passengers can go by bus and 2,75,000 in train while 60,000 in launch normally. But around 85 lakh people generally leave the capital city during Eid occasion, they said.
During visits to Gazipur, Sreepur and Rajendrapur railway stations this correspondent found that thousands of home-bound people traveling on train roof coming from Dhaka to their respective destinations.
Emarat, a worker of ACI factory at Sreepur, said, “I need to go home by any cost. I could not enter the train due to heavy pressure of passengers. Now I climbed on the roof by paying Tk 40 to ladder owner.”
Monir Hossain, a ladder owner of Rajendrapur railway station, said: “Every year we helped people to climb on the train roof and they pay us for this.”
Selim from Sreepur rail station said, “Every year ahead of Eid we gather in the station with ladders to help people though sometimes law enforcers chased us not to help people to ride on train roofs.”
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday urged Eid holidaymakers not to travel on roof of vehicles risking their lives.
“The accident in Rangpur took place due to reckless driving. We shouldn’t travel on vehicles’ roof as it is risky,” said the minister while talking to reporters after visiting the Dhaka-Aricha Highway on Saturday afternoon.
Passenger Alamgir Hossain, unable to find a seat on the Nilsagar Express, was standing by the door on a compartment for his trip to Parbatipur, said “I did not get a ticket so I have to go like this.”
Selim Shikdar, an official of Shyamoli Paribahan, said slow moving and slight traffic gridlocks on the Dhaka-Rangpur Highway creates suffering to people.
At least 50 launches left Dhaka for different destinations in southern part of the country yesterday with over loaded passengers defying the restriction of the authority concerned.
Saiful Hque Khan, Joint Director of Naval Security and Traffic Management, said the passengers boarded on launch as they have no chance to use alternative way to Eid journey.
