Extend Eid holidays by one day to ease travel: Jatri Kalyan Samiti
Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samiti has proposed to the government to extend the Eid holidays by one day for the ease of the holidaymakers who will be travelling out of Dhaka.
"We have estimated that more than 1.2 crore people will travel from Dhaka to different districts of the country this Eid. From 19 April, about 40-50 lakh people will start leaving each day. Apart from this, about 5 crore people from one district to another will go home on Eid," Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samiti Secretary General Mozzamel Haque Chowdhury said in a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday (2 April).
At the same time, the organisation also demanded the government to take measures to reduce passenger harassment and ensure extra fares aren't charged.
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He also said that 6-10 lakh passengers can travel by road, 8-10 lakh passengers by the waterways, and 1.5 lakh passengers by railway.
"But since offices are open till 20 April, almost 50 lakh people will have to wait until then. If a public holiday is declared on 20 April, the passenger pressure may reduce a little. Otherwise, the situation may worsen on 21 April," he added.
The organisation also said that if proper use of public transport is not ensured, a dire situation may arise during the Eid journey this year.
It demanded that steps should be taken to control traffic congestion at the entrances from the capital to the various districts of the country and to stop the movement of small vehicles on the highways.
