People Leaving Dhaka Early For Eid

To celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr people in large numbers have started leaving Dhaka for the hometowns and villages. Meanwhile Eid is less than two weeks away to color the day of muslims. Many of them are making the journey or sending their families early to avoid the hassle on the road just before Eid, as schools have closed for Ramadan.

Most of the passengers at Gabtoli and Kalyanpur bus counters on Friday were Eid holidaymakers, reported on media. A passenger, who was going to Tangail’s Madhupur, said the media that the families that stay in Dhaka for their children’s education are leaving. He is also leaving but would return to Dhaka after celebration of Eid early. Another one Mahinur Rahman and his family were waiting for a Hanif Enterprise bus to Satkhira. He said they faced suffering while travelling in haste before Eid in the past, reports bdnews24.com.

Last year, they booked tickets for two days before Eid, but when they arrived, they discovered tickets for the same seats were sold to other passengers. Md Hakim, the driver of a Pabna-bound Super Sony bus, fears that the pressure of passengers would mount before Eid this time because it appeared to him that fewer passengers were leaving Dhaka early this time than in the past years.

Patrol Inspector Md Mahfuzul Haque of Gabtoli Bus Terminal Police Camp said they took preparations to allow people to get on buses without any hassle. “We’re getting busier by the day.” Ticket sellers at the counters said the demand was high for advance tickets for days preceding the beginning of the government holiday on Apr 10.

Md Hasan of Sarbik Paribahan at Kalyanpur said most of the travellers were buying advance tickets. He predicted the pressure of passengers will start mounting a week before Eid, which is expected to fall on Apr 11, subject to the sighting of the moon. Garment factory worker Saidur Rahman said he came to Gabtoli for tickets for Apr 9 to Rangpur. His family will also travel with him.

Kausar Ahmed, a Hanif Paribahan ticket seller, said sales on Barishal and Khulna routes via Gabtoli decreased after the opening of the Padma Bridge. “The counter had remained overcrowded for several days before Eid. We used to sell a lot of advance tickets. But only a few passengers come now as most of them board the buses in Sayedabad. I think the pressure will increase after some more days,” he said.

Saiful Islam and two of his friends brought their luggage to Gabtoli terminal, but none of them would travel to their hometown Tangail. The driver is known to them, so they are sending their belongings home and will travel before Eid. It would also be difficult for Saiful to carry the bags because he was planning to travel by bicycle.

“I pay my bills with money I get from providing tuition while the bus fare is very high. It’ll be better for me to cycle home slowly,” he said.