Staff Reporter:
The announcement of Eid-ul-Azha holidays at garment factories and other industrial establishments in Savar and Ashulia has triggered a sharp rise in homebound travellers and vehicle pressure on major highways, with many passengers alleging that transport operators are charging two to three times the usual fare.
Since Tuesday morning, heavy crowds and increased traffic movement were observed on the Baipail–Abdullahpur, Nabinagar–Chandra and Dhaka–Aricha highways. Similar pressure was seen on Monday afternoon, the first day of the holiday, when long tailbacks formed at several points due to the surge in travellers.
Although traffic moved slowly on Tuesday, no major gridlock was reported.
Thousands of workers carrying bags and personal belongings were seen waiting for buses at different points along the highways. Many passengers complained that despite paying inflated ticket prices at transport counters, they were still unable to secure seats, while others waited for hours in search of alternative transport.
Passengers also alleged that some transport operators were exploiting the Eid rush by charging fares two to three times higher than normal, with little visible monitoring by the authorities.
Rahima Akter, a garment worker in Ashulia’s Baipail area, said she had been waiting on the roadside since morning as she could not find an affordable vehicle to travel home.
Another traveller, Ruhul, who was waiting at the Pakiza U-turn in Savar to travel to Rangpur, said transport operators were demanding between Tk1,500 and Tk1,600 for a journey that usually costs around Tk500.
“I cannot afford to pay three times the normal fare,” he said, adding that most of his salary had already been spent on Eid shopping for his family.
Many passengers were also seen attempting to board returning cattle trucks after failing to find buses.
Savar Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sheikh Shahjahan said the pressure on highways had increased several times after factories declared holidays and warned that the rush could continue until the eve of Eid.
However, he said authorities were fully prepared and no permanent traffic congestion had developed.
Shamima Parveen, the first female Superintendent of Police (SP) in Dhaka, said district police, traffic police and highway police were working round the clock to ensure smooth Eid travel. Community police and volunteers were also assisting travellers at key points, she added.
