Traffic gridlock on Saturday caused immense sufferings to people headed for their hometown to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja. The situation was compounded by trucks carrying cattle. Special trains were running 30 minutes to one hour behind schedule. There was a 45-km-long tailback on the Dhaka-Tangail highway in Mirzapur upazila of Tangail. A large number of vehicles and trucks carrying cattle from 30 different northern districts ahead of Eid are mainly responsible for the traffic congestion, Md Zubaidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Gorai highway police station, said.
Police sources said there was a massive traffic jam from the west side of the Bangabandhu Bridge towards the Bogra highway. Buses moved at a snail’s pace and women and children were the worst sufferers.
“The traffic congestion was the result of additional vehicles, including cattle-loaded trucks. Besides, the Nolka bridge at Hatikumrul in Sirajganj is narrow,” according to Ali Farid, OC of Hitikumrul highway police station.
Hundreds of passengers began gathering at the country’s largest railway station at Kamalapur since early morning. They vent their frustration when they
found that trains were running late. Passengers blamed railway officials for their predicament.
Railway sources said the Dinajpur-bound special train, Agnibina, left Dhaka at 10:30 am instead of its scheduled departure time of 9:40 am.
The Mahanagar Provati left 30 minutes late, Rangpur 40 minutes, Ekata Express 30 minutes, Balaka 32 minutes, Titas 45 minutes and the Mahanagar Parabat left 40 minutes late.
Finding no space inside coaches, hundreds of passengers perched themselves on roofs of trains and engines, desperate to reach home for the festivities.
Jamil Ahmed, a Dinajpur-bound passenger, said he had to wait for 45 minutes before getting into the train, Agomoni.
“Though it is called a special train, there is no extra facility. Rather, many passengers without tickets are standing inside coaches,” he added.
“I am not getting a seat, though I have a ticket. The authorities have charged a higher price for the ticket, but there is no additional facility,” Salma Akhter another passenger said.
At Kamalapur station, the railways director general, Md Abu Taher, told reporters that they are making all-out efforts to maintain the schedule.
“It’s our duty to carry passengers safely to their homes. We are trying hard to maintain the timings,” he added.
-With The Independent input
