Holidaymakers face transport crisis, 7km tailback on Dhaka-Tangail highway

A 7-kilometre tailback stretched along the Chandra intersection on Dhaka-Tangail highway on Monday due to a heavy rush of vehicles as holidaymakers embarked on their Eid journey.

There are hundreds of thousands of homegoing garment workers as the majority of factories in the industrial city of Gazipur announced Eid holiday from 8 April.

This surge in commuters also led to a transportation crisis on the highway.

Our correspondent reported many homegoers resorted to taking risky rides in open pickup vans and trucks to reach their destinations.
The district and highway police officials said they are working to clear traffic.

Naojor Highway Police OC Shahadat Hossain said the passenger influx intensified following the midday closure of factories, resulting in slow-moving vehicles at Chandra. 

The journey on 8 and 9 April might be somewhat challenging, but law enforcement agencies are diligently working to restore order for a smoother Eid commute, he added.

Meanwhile, homegoers, including women and children, were facing extreme hardship due to not getting vehicles even after waiting for hours yesterday afternoon.

Siraj Uddin, an RMG worker, was waiting for transport at Chandra Mor.

"I had packed my bags beforehand. I left early after receiving my salary at 10am. But I came to find thousands of people already waiting for transport here," he said

Jamal Uddin was standing nearby with his wife. He said, "I have been standing for an hour, but I could not get on a bus. If my wife was not with me, I would have gotten on a pickup van."

Another awaiting homegoer, Marjina Begum said, "I have my elderly mother with me. We have been standing for almost an hour for a Sherpur-bound bus."

Alim Uddin had his wife and child with him as they waited for transport at Joydebpur Chowrasta area. 

"I have been standing for almost two hours. We could not get on a bus. I do not know how to get my wife and child onboard in such a crowd," he said.

Many like Alim had been waiting for transport in the area for hours. Some were forced to find costly alternatives to facilitate their journey.