Staff Reporter :
The vibrant pulse of Dhaka is slowing as Eid-ul-Fitr approaches. Once-bustling streets are gradually thinning out. Residents, drawn by the magnetic pull of celebrating Eid with loved ones, have begun to go back to their hometowns and villages from the capital.
This pre-Eid exodus unfolds like a familiar script across the capital. With mere days left before the festivities, Thursday night and Friday morning witnessed a noticeable departure.
City dwellers, eager to shed the urban clamor and embrace the serenity of home, streamed towards major transit hubs like Gabtali and Sayyadabad bus terminals, and the bustling Sadarghat launch terminal.
Ticket counters overflowed with hopeful faces, each yearning for a swift journey back to familiar embraces. Those fortunate enough to secure early passage on trains or launches like the ones departing from Sadarghat boarded with palpable excitement.
However, the scene wasn’t without its challenges. Long queues snaked through terminals, and many voiced concerns about inflated bus fares.
A visit to the Airport Railway Station on Friday revealed a microcosm of the fervent desire to return. The station brimmed with homebound passengers, some resorting to climbing through windows and onto rooftops in a desperate bid to secure even a standing space on a train leaving for their destinations.
This exodus isn’t without its impact on Dhaka itself. As residents depart, a sense of calm settles over the city. Streets, once teeming with vehicles and pedestrians, now offer a glimpse of empty asphalt.
However, this lull is countered by the vibrant thrum of activity in markets and shopping malls. Here, the focus remains firmly on Eid preparations, with enthusiastic crowds diligently attending to their shopping needs at places like Bashundhara City Mall or Mouchak Market.
The sight of a quieter Dhaka, juxtaposed with the bustling marketplaces, beautifully encapsulates the city’s current state. It’s a bittersweet symphony of farewells and anticipation, a prelude to the joyous reunions that await under the celebratory light of Eid.
Earlier, people had to stand in long queues to buy train tickets. Most of them used to stand in line for 24 to 36 hours to collect their advance tickets. But this time, the passengers had to face a different kind of suffering.
Railway officials say there is a daily demand of at least 4,00,000 tickets. In comparison, a little over 30,000 intercity train tickets are being sold every day, leaving many people without tickets.
As per upcoming Sunday’s online outbound ticket sales data, in the first half hour since the sales started, the Western section of Bangladesh Railway (BR) got 9,40,000 hits while the Eastern section got 7.45 million hits with fewer actual sales.
Not getting the desired seat or even a standing ticket, many illegally climbed onto the roof or locked themselves in the bathrooms of the trains to reach home a little bit early. Many fell ill because of the heat as the electricity supply was hampered in some trains.
Amin Ullah, a college student, said, “My home is in Lalmonirhat. I was not able to get the chair coach ticket. So I bought a standing ticket and am hoping to find a seat after Joydebpur.”
Meanwhile, bus terminals were also crowded. Homebound passengers thronged the Gabtali, Mohakhali and Sayedabad terminals amid the intense heat. However, due to the rush, buses did not leave on time, which caused even more suffering.
ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division, has warned that the authorities concerned will not allow charging of higher or extra bus fares during Eid.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman also stated that stern action would be taken if the charged bus fares were more than the fixed amounts, be it on roads, railways or waterways during the Eid rush.
However, there have already been complaints. Passengers claimed that they were unable to find tickets, and some unscrupulous people sold tickets for an additional hefty amount on the black market. Holidaymakers are also worried about whether or not they will be able to reach their destination on time due to traffic congestion.
Faisal bin Siraj, who plans to go to Mymensingh’s Gafargaon, faced the black marketing of bus tickets at Mohakhali Bus Terminal. He said, “I failed to buy three tickets from the counters at first. Later, I had to pay Tk 200 extra to get the tickets.”
Another passenger, Suruj Ali, said, “I have been waiting for two hours but did not get any tickets. People at the ticket counters said that all tickets had been booked and demanded extra money for emergency tickets.”
Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to be celebrated on April 10 or April 11, depending on the sighting of the moon. However, the government has fixed the Eid holidays on April 10, 11 and 12 (the upcoming Wednesday, Thursday and Friday). Also, there is a holiday of Shab-e-Qadr on Sunday.
After the Eid holidays, government employees will get their weekly holiday on April 13 (Saturday) and the public holiday for Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla New Year, falls the next day.
Government offices will remain open for two more days on April 8 and 9 (Monday and Tuesday). If Eid is celebrated on April 11, there will only be one day (April 10) for homebound travels. Hence, government officials and employees will be getting a five-day Eid holiday from April 10 to 14.