The Rajshahi city has become almost deserted as a huge number of dwellers, especially students of different educational institutions, left the city to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha.
A good number of students of numerous educational institutions in the city, including Rajshahi University, Rajshahi College, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi Medical College, Government City College, Rajshahi Poly Technique Institute, have already left the city to share their Eid happiness with their near and dear ones.
About one lakh students live in Rajshahi and most of them are from outside the city.
The business activities in the city have come almost to a halt with the departure of so many students. The shops and restaurants in the areas adjacent to Rajshahi University have been shut down as there is no buyer.
Raihanul Islam, owner of Tamanna Restaurent at Kazla gate of the university, told New Age that after the university went into Eid vacation, it has become quite impossible for them to run their restaurants.
The sales of clothes are also dull at the different markets including Saheb Bazar, New Market, Gonak Para Market, shopping malls in the city because of inadequate customers.
Murad Morshed, owner of T-shirt shop Matial, told New Age that T-shirts and fatua are mainly bought by young people studying at different educational institutions.
As the students have left the city, the selling rate is very low now, he added.
However, the transport sector is witnessing a surging business with a huge crowd at the bus stands and rail stations in the city.
Sadrul Islam, director of the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation Rajshahi depot, told New Age that they were facing a huge crowd at their terminals. ‘We are finding it difficult to tackle the huge rush of passengers,’ he added.
