At least three passengers fell from the roof of a running train and died as thousands of holidaymakers left Dhaka on Wednesday, the last working day before the Eid-ul- Fitr on overcrowded busses, trains and ferries risking their lives.
The capital experienced severe traffic congestions all day as people streamed out of the city for their village homes by bus, train and launch. But many did not get seats in trains and launches despite having advance tickets as their seats were already occupied.
There was a holiday mood at government and private offices as most of the employees left early for the terminals to go to their village homes.
The home ministry had proposed extending the Eid
holidays by a day but it was rejected by the cabinet. The secretariat looked deserted on Wednesday.
Deputy inspector general of railway police Sohrab Hossain told New Age that four people fell from the Dhaka-bound Narayanganj Mail’s roof at the Gendaria station at around 11:00am.
Of the victims, Zakir Hossain, identified as a motor mechanic, died on the spot while vegetable trader Nuru Mia died on his way to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, he said.
‘Rickshaw-van puller Nazrul Islam died at the hospital and another was in a critical condition,’ he added.
At Kamalapur railway station many people who bought advance tickets failed to get into different trains and many were travelling on the roof.
Shakila Sultana, a Rajshahi-bound passenger, said that she reached station at 2:00pm with her family to board Silk City Express but found their seats occupied.
When she sought help of ansar and railway security force, they failed to put them into the train.
The train started on schedule at 2:40pm but stopped after going a few yards to take passengers again. A good number of passengers having advance tickets failed to board the train.
The same thing happened in the case for Jamalpur-bound Jamalpur Commuter.
Khulna-bound Chitra Express passenger Himel said he had been waiting on the platform from noon though the train was scheduled to leave the station at 5:00pm as he failed to get on the train on the previous day.
Ekata Express, Rajshahi Express, Teesta Express and Agnibina Express left the station with several hundred passengers on roof while Ekata Express left the station about three hours late and Rajshahi Express, Teesta Express and Agnibina Express left an hour late.
The railways minister Mohammad Mazibul Hoque told New Age on Wednesday that the authorities had asked the GRP and RNB to take action against such irregularities.
The Gabtali bus terminal witnessed swarms of passengers on the day.
‘We have no seat right now. This situation will continue till midday tomorrow,’ said Mohammad Zakir, counterman of Shyamoli Paribahan.
Meanwhile bus operators continued to collect extra from the passengers on most routes in keeping with the fare chart the Bangladesh Bus and Truck Owners’ Association had prepared ignoring the chart of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority.
Home-goers also crowded Sadarghat launch terminal Wednesday, a day before the official Eid holidays begin, with rough weather and tailbacks causing suffering to them.
The crowded Barisal-2, Nusrat-2, Agarpur Navigation and Sultan Khan-1
left the terminal around noon.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority joint director (safety and traffic management) Saiful Haque Khan claimed that they were taking action against the launches which were overcrowded.
‘The situation was better than previous years,’ he said.
However, chief petty officer and in charge of Sadarghat terminal of Coast Guard, Nazrul Islam, claimed that they were trying to prevent overcrowding in launches.
‘But some overcrowded vessels are leaving the terminal due to lax monitoring by the BIWTA,’ he said.
The city experienced severe traffic congestions particularly on the roads leading to bus, train and launch terminals.
The streets remained wedged solid with gridlock for hours at Gulistan, Sadarghat, Gabtali, Motijheel, Karwan Bazaar and Mirpur.
The correspondent in Comilla reported that the journey of Eid holidaymakers was disrupted in past three days on Dhaka-Chittagong highway due to poor road condition and an accident that triggered tailback. Severe traffic congestions were witnessed on the road stretch between Daudkandi and Chauddagram.
Ferry service at Paturia point was normal and there was no traffic congestion, said Ibrahim Gazi, counterman of Soukhin Paribahan at Gabtali.