RESPONDING TO calL OF ROOTS : People in their multitudes secure their place aboard a launch and atop the vessel before beginning their waterway journey from Sadarghat Launch Terminal on Thursday to reach their roots in villages. Banglar Chokh People in the capital left in droves to the call of the umbilical cords in villages to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr with their near and dear ones, resulting in intractable traffic jams everywhere on Thursday. Students, family members of service holders left the city on Thursday in advance to avoid hazardous trips in the run-up to the festival. Eid will be observed on July 29 or 30 subject to the sighting of the moon of the lunar month of Shawal. The three-day Eid holiday will begin on July 28. Scores of government and private job-holders, who managed to go on leave from July 27, were also seen leaving the city in the afternoon. For this, the crowds of homeward passengers multiplied at bus and launch terminals as well as railway stations in the evening. Meanwhile, ticket aspirants’ presence added extra pressure to counters as many were still trying their best to collect their dream travel papers. They thronged Kamalapur Railway Station to collect train tickets for July 28. Long tailbacks formed in Asad Gate, Gabtoli, Mohakhali, Sadarghat, Sayedabad and Kamalapur areas since noon, aggravating traffic system in the evening as homeward people rushed to get aboard their scheduled vehicles. Private job-holder Jamilur Rahman talked to this correspondent at the Kalyanpur counter of Shyamoli Paribahan. He said, “My wife, son and daughter are leaving today. I’m unable to leave Dhaka before July 28. I sent them earlier to avoid hassle ahead of Eid vacation.” Counterman Mainul Islam of Hanif Paribahan at Gabtoli said, “As huge people are leaving the city earlier, we’re at ease with our last-ditch travel plans. We’ve started double trips from tonight to ease the pressure of passengers.” Those who have managed leave from their offices and finished Eid shopping may leave Dhaka on Friday and Saturday, he observed. Bus counters from Mohammadpur to Gabtoli via Shyamoli, Kalyanpur and Technical was seen were overcrowded with people. The same scene was seen at Mohakhali, Sayedabad and several BRTC bus depots at Motijheel, Gazipur, Joar Sahara, Kalyanpur and Mohakhali. Hundreds of people heading homeward were seen leaving city by run-down buses as they failed to get tickets from transport operators of their choice. Crowds were witnessed at Sadarghat since Thursday morning. Their numbers increased in the evening. Launch owners said pressure will pile at the launch terminal on Friday and Saturday. BRTC special launch service was started on Thursday. As many as 200 private and public launches are carrying people this year. At Kamalapur station, a large number of people were seen leaving the city with their family members in the evening. Sources said security has been tightened at several bus and launch terminals, railway station, exit points and on the national highways. Additional law-enforcers have been employed to manage traffic on exit points for smooth vehicular movement.
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