Return to Dhaka turns nightmarish

Eid holidaymakers yesterday found it a daunting task to return to the capital as public transport failed to accommodate the large volume of Dhaka-bound passengers.

On top of that, severe mismanagement in different modes of transport added woe to the misery of vacationers with many struggling to make a berth on the rooftops of trains and buses.

Some even crammed into generator rooms of launches.

Gross disruptions to the train service jeopardised the journey of people at the Kamalapur Railway Station and elsewhere in the country.

Widespread allegation came following the mismanagement at the station.

Liakat Ali, an employee of a private firm, said he reached the platform by Bhaowal Express around 1pm but he was supposed to be there by 12pm. “The train started two hours late from Mymensingh.”

Nur Mohammad, another passenger, said: “Ekota Express was delayed by two hours. The train was scheduled to start around 9:30pm yesterday but it started around 11:30pm. Besides, it halted for a long time in Parbotipur and Shantahar stations in Dinajpur for the reasons unknown.”

Such disruption to the schedules not only led to sufferings of the capital-bound people but also delayed departures of those who intended to leave the capital yesterday by train.

One passenger Kazi Mohamamd Faridul was found waiting at the platform for Joyontika Express.

He said he had been waiting for the train for two hours along with his family to go to his hometown in Ashuganj. His granddaughter was sweating profusely. Drained and exhausted she finally fell asleep on her mother’s lap.

“I arrived at the platform around 10am as the train was scheduled to leave at 12am. It is almost 1:45pm now, still the train has not arrived,” he said.

Kamalapur Station Master Md Shakhawat Hossain Khan however told the Dhaka Tribune that some of the trains had arrived late because of the overflow of passengers.

“Ekota Express reached Dhaka late by two hours while the Sundarban Express by three hours. Sundarban Express was supposed to start at 6:20am but it started around 9:40am as the crowd  was more than usual.”

He added that trains sometimes arrive late because of maintenance work.

Echoing with Md Shakhawat Hossain Khan Station Manager Md Khairul Bashir said there was an overflow of passengers after Eid this year. “The trains were late because we had to accommodate the increased number of passengers.”

Meanwhile, around 69 launches arrived at the capital until 4pm yesterday with passengers beyond their capacity.

A number of passengers alleged that extra fares were charged from them after they boarded the launch.

Md Jamal, a passenger who traveled on the deck of MV Eyad, said: “The fare for traveling on the deck from Borguna to Dhaka is Tk300. At first the launch staff charged me Tk250 while getting into the launch but later he demanded Tk100 more after the launch started.”

“However,  I negotiated and paid Tk300,” he said. Owner of the MV Obhijan 5 Shahjalal Sheikh denied such allegation.

Like launches bus counters also allegedly charged extra fare from passengers.

Khairul Islam who returned to the capital by Shyamoli Paribahan yesterday said: “I had to pay around Tk150 more than the fixed rate.”

However, Gabtoli Terminal’s Bus Truck Owner’s Association leader Nurul Islam denied the allegation.

The misery even mounted after people reached Sadarghat Launch Terminal as many passengers had to wait for a long time to get a transport.

The CNG-run auto-rickshaws chared exorbitant fares while the porters held exhausted passengers hostage by charging extra for carrying baggage. After reaching the terminals, many were seen waiting with luggage for hours failing to get a transport.

BIWTA Joint Director Saiful Islam denied the allegation of realising extra fares from passengers.

BIWTA Assistant Director (Marine Safety) Shamsul Arefin said they were passing a tough time to manage the huge number of passengers.

Sub-Inspector of Kotwali Police Station Wasim Bari told the Dhaka Tribune that police would remain deployed at the Sadarghat Launch Terminal until August 5 to ensure safe journey of Dhaka-bound people.