An inter-ministerial meeting yesterday outlined a plan to ease the movement of homebound people ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, to check traffic congestion, accidents and crimes.
Lorries and covered vans will stay off the highways from four days before Eid until three days after the festival for smooth travel of home-goers.
No passenger bus will be stopped by highway police on the way from August 1, while law enforcers will check over-speed and over-taking.
CNG filling stations across the country will remain open round-the-clock for 10 days from August 5.
These are the steps outlined at the inter-ministerial meeting, convened at the Engineers’ Institute.
According to the plan, vigilance teams will work at three bus terminals — Mohakhali, Sayedabad and Gabtoli — to ensure that passengers are not charged extra fair.
“The teams will also check overcrowding on buses and riding on roof of vehicles. Divisional and district bus terminals will also be kept under observation,” said Communications Minister Obaidul Quader, who presided over the meeting.
He instructed the law enforcers to beef up security at the terminals and on the highways to ensure safe journey during the festival.
If necessary, plainclothes law enforcers will be deployed, Quader told the meeting.
Under the plan, 21 monitoring teams of roads and highways department will watch the highways and roads before and after the Eid.
“In case there are potholes on the highways, the teams will repair those,” said Quader, adding that 5,000 Rab members will remain standby.
He said special bus, launch and train services would also be introduced.
Railway Minister Mujibul Haque, State Minister for Home Shamsul Hoque Tuku, secretaries and officials of different ministries and divisions and inspector general of police attended the meeting.
-With The Daily Star input
