City-dwellers started leaving on Friday the capital, Dhaka, for celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr with their families to avoid last -minute rushes and potential transport hassles.
Despite the main holiday beginning on March 17, many initiated their travel early, with reports highlighting potential transport delays due to a fuel crisis against the backdrop of the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East.
Homebound people were seen crowding Kamalapur Railway Station, bus and launch terminals to make journey to their respective destinations.
A potential fuel shortage caused by international conflicts has caused concern for transport operators and passengers, resulting in some trip cancellations and higher fares.
The premature departure is a strategy adopted by many to avoid overcrowding during the final days of the Eid exodus.
The situation reflects a recurring trend of massive passenger movement from the capital to other parts of Bangladesh for the festive season.
Experts warned of potential congestion and higher accident risks on roads and waterways, necessitating strict traffic management.
The journey is often marked by extra transport fares, and potential issues with illegal parking causing congestion.
The exodus is a typical annual phenomenon, as urban workers go to their village homes to celebrate Eid with their loved ones.
Homebound passengers at Kamalapur Railway Station told the FE that they were leaving the capital a little bit early to avoid last-minute rush and hassles.
Many were seen waiting for their respective trains with their family members.
Among the passengers, a significant number were women, children and students.
"My university is closed for Eid vacation. So I'm going to my home a little bit early. There will be a huge rush just after a couple of days. So, I'm leaving earlier," Syed Munim, a student of a private university, bound for Sylhet, told the FE.
"There will be a rush just after two or three days. So to avoid rush, I along with my two children are going to our home in Rajshahi for celebrating Eid," Mossammat Sufia, a housewife, told the FE at Kamalapur station.
She said that her husband will join them just two days before the Eid.
Passengers said they prefer to travel by train considering it comfortable and less time-consuming.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Railway (BR) authorities have deployed an additional number of law enforcers to ensure safety and security of the passengers.
An official at Kamalapur Railway Station said they were allowing passengers to enter the station's platform after going through three-tier checking.
As holidaymakers started leaving the city ahead of the Eid festival, some said their trips were rescheduled because of fuel crisis as many of the bus operators could not get diesel as required.
Holidaymakers were seen gathering at the bus counters in the city, including Gabtoli, Kalyanpur, Mohakhali, Badda and other points as the first weekend they get on Friday before the Eid vacation begins on March 17.
Kamrunnahar came to the Mohakhali long-route bus counter as there are so many counters of bus operators.
She, waiting along with her two kids for the bus heading to Netrakona, said they were going to their hometown to avoid hassle during the last hours before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Meanwhile, visiting Dhaka River Port Terminal or popularly known as Sadarghat launch terminal in the capital on Friday, the FE correspondent found a significant number of passengers getting on board launches of different routes.
"I'm going to my village home in Barishal for celebrating Eid with my family," Md Suman, a private service holder told the FE at the launch terminal on Friday afternoon.
An official of Bangladesh Launch Owners Association told the FE that they would not increase fare capitalising the Eid rush.
He said they were realising launch fare from the passengers as per the government approved fare chart.
Meanwhile, a police official at Dhaka River Port Terminal told the FE that they were vigilant to provide utmost safety and security to the passengers.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has caused unusually high crowds at petrol pumps in recent days.
The government has set a daily fuel cap for each vehicle. Transport operators have lessened their trips due to fuel supply shortage.
Earlier on Thursday, to maintain normal fuel supply in the country, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) decided to keep its main establishments and depots open on Fridays and Saturdays.
But many filling stations were shut due to shortage of fuel in Badda, Rampura, Ramna and elsewhere in the city.
And, there were long queues where fuel was available.
Despite the government decision to continue fuel supply from the depot on the weekends, long queues were seen at many filling stations in the city while some others showed signs of no fuel on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Friday issued several instructions on traffic movement to ensure smooth travel of people heading home on the occasion of Eid.
Among them, it has been decided to ban the movement of trucks, covered vans and lorries on the highways from March 17 to 23. However, vehicles carrying essential food items, perishable goods, garments, medicines, fertilisers and fuel will remain exempt from this.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
nsrafsanju@gmail.com
