Dhaka desolate after Eid exodus

The night will end with the dawn of Eid. A day before the festival, Dhaka looks like a city transformed – the buzzing capital appears deserted, its thoroughfare empty.

Most people have left the capital for their homes in towns and villages to observe Eid-ul-Azha with their families. As a result, the city's bus stops, cross-roads, and sidewalks lack the usual crowded look.

The streets, alleys and footpaths of the capital are currently occupied by sacrificial animals. Makeshift markets selling cattle and goats have sprung up on many streets.

On Sunday afternoon, the number of people leaving home was fewer at the Sadarghat launch terminal, and the Gabtoli, Sayedabad and Mohakhali bus terminals compared to other days.

Until noon on Sunday, 36 ferries had left the Sadarghat launch terminal and 25 more were waiting to sail.

On Friday and Saturday, 126 and 124 launches respectively had left Sadarghat.

BIWTA transport inspector Sayed Mahfuzur Rahman told bdnews24.com the traveller rush was, normally, relatively less during Eid-ul-Azha than Eid-ul-Fitr.

Abul Kalam Jaglu, general manager, Sundarban Launch Service, said none of their ferries would leave since there were too few passengers.

But Kamalapur Railway Station was packed with home-bound people even on the day before the Eid.

Bangladesh Railway Traffic Inspector Humayun Kabir told bdnews24.com, "Passenger pressure is usually very high during Eid. So, trains are not run at their usual high speed in view of passenger safety."

Empty bus terminal

The Gabtoli bus terminal had only a few passengers on Sunday afternoon. Most ticket counters were also empty.

"The bulk of the long-distance passengers had left by Saturday. There was some pressure until around noon on Sunday. Now the terminal is empty," Md Zaheed Hassan, counter master of AK Travels, which runs buses between Dhaka and Kushtia, told bdnews24.com.
Shyamoli Paribahan counter master Amirul Islam Shimul said much the same thing.

All those who came to book their seats in buses could easily do so, as the rush was largely over.

But a survey of the terminal revealed that most transport operators were charging Tk 50-150 extra fare depending on the destination.

The usual Dhaka-Mymensingh bus fare is Tk 220 but Soukhin Travels was charging Tk 250 and Alam Asia Tk 300.