Sufferings of millions of travelers, leaving the capital on the occasion of Eid ul Azha, escalated as massive road blockades and traffic jams were created due to sudden rush for exit.
Sufferings went acute at different points on the Dhaka – Mawa highway leading to the recently opened Padma Bridge. Travelers mostly from 21 districts of southern region are using the short route of Dhaka – Mawa highway causing huge traffic congestions.
At the toll plazas there were massive rush of vehicles competing to pay toll first causing road blockades while many vehicles tried to overtake violating waiting in the long queues.
The same picture has been observed on the way to Sirajganj via Chandra and Tangail.
Authorities have collected a record amount of toll on the Padma Bridge and Jamuna Bridge in the last 24 hours.
The police tried to control the situation with the record-breaking number of vehicles on each way from the capital.
Munshiganj Traffic Police TI (Administration) Bazlur Rahman said that at around 3 pm, there was pressure of home goers on Eid since Friday morning. There was a traffic jam in the area of one and a half kilometer from Samaspur in Srinagar to the north of Padma Bridge.
Meanwhile, a traffic jam more than 30 kilometre long, mostly made up with cattle laden trucks and night coaches stopped all vehicle movement from Alenga to Jamuna River where at the other side of the river, a 15 kilometre long traffic jam from Hatikumrul to Jamuna Bridge west entrance since Friday midnight created a bottleneck at the entrance of the bridge.
Thousands of vehicles full with passengers are stuck at the congestions, authorities informed.
‘Number of heavy vehicles were higher since Thursday’, said Jamuna Bridge tollbooth authorities.
Visiting inter-city bus terminals of the capital, massive pressure of passengers was seen in Saidabad and Gabtali Bus Terminals. Though Mohakhali Bus Terminal was less crowded, north-bound passengers complained about the shortage of busses and excessive fair.
Passengers at Gabtoli Bus Terminal complained the same that many south –bound operators are demanding extra money for tickets. They have already increased the ticket fair against the BRTA provided fair for intercity-travel.
People are rushing towards their village in various public transports including trucks, pickups and buses. However, women and children in particular are suffering due to traffic jams. They are skeptical about when they will reach their destination.
