Govt, transport owners unite for safe Eid travel

Government and transport operators are preparing to take precautionary measures for ensuring a safe and hassle-free journey of Eid holidaymakers.

Sale of advance rail tickets for Eid will start on July 9 and the railway ministry would operate seven pairs of special trains to deal with the Eid rush, said Railway Minister Mazibul Hoque.

Meanwhile in parliament, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader claimed that there would be no traffic jams on highways during the Eid.

During a meeting at the office of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority yesterday, representatives of shipping ministry, civil and police administrations, and launch owners discussed detailed course of action for ensuring passengers' safety and their smooth journeys.

They decided on preventing vessels from overloading, preventing passengers from travelling on the roof of vessels, having rescue vessels on standby around the clock, and keeping sufficient life jackets in launches.

At the meeting, launch owner vowed not to carry more passengers than the vessel's capacity and charge extra during the Eid.

Launch owners also criticised the BIWTA and law enforcers, alleging they remain silent when different irregularities, including incidents of extortion, take place during the Eid rush.

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan then said, "We have directed law enforcers and other government bodies concerned to take stern action against any thing that might be a concern for passengers' safety."

He also said at a state-run vessel 'Modhumoti' would run before Eid.

At a press briefing at the Railway Bhaban in the capital, Minister Mazibul Hoque said advance rail tickets for July 13-17 would be sold from July 9-13 correspondingly. Similarly, return tickets for July 20-24 would be sold from July 16-20.

Tickets would be available at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka and Chittagong Railway Station. One individual would be able to buy maximum four tickets.

Mazibul said seven pairs of special trains would operate from July 15 to 26 to cope with the rush. A total of 169 new carriages would be added ahead of the festival.

Inter-city trains would run every day 

from July 13 to the day before Eid and all the officials and employees of the railway would remain on standby to deal with the rush.

In parliament, Obaidul Quader said there would be no traffic jams on highways during the Eid.

He said his road transport and bridges ministry remained active to ensure a safe and hassle-free journey of the holidaymakers.

While replying to lawmakers' queries, Quader claimed that the highways were fit for vehicle movement. He said mobile engineering teams would be on standby to repair roads if necessary.

On the inauguration of the much-awaited Dhaka-Mymensingh four-lane highway, the minister said it would be open to vehicles before Eid, which is likely to be in the third week of July.