As the Eid holiday neared its end, thousands of people across the country on Friday started for Dhaka to get back in the saddle and resume their hectic schedule in the ever chaotic metropolis.
For many the return was not smooth as they found the server down when they tried to buy train tickets online, while many others had to deal with unscrupulous businesspeople who charged fare much higher than the usual ticket prices.聽
The journey on the road, however, was rather smooth on Friday as most highways were congestion free, while the trains also ran on schedules.
People wanting to buy train tickets online found the server closed in the early hours of Friday as technical glitches shut it down for about 12 hours.
Some were also seen leaving Dhaka city on Friday.聽
On the day, the city enjoyed traffic congestion-free roads with few vehicles were seen running. Pedestrians also were few on the roads and streets, while few shops were open.
Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest religious festivals for Muslims, was celebrated in the country on March 31.
On the occasion, the government announced a five-day holiday from March 29 to April 2.
Additionally, Thursday (April 3) was announced as a general holiday, followed by the weekend of Friday and Saturday鈥擜pril 4 and 5.
Due to the extended holiday, the holidaymakers during this Eid enjoyed almost hassle-free journey without severe traffic congestion on the highways.
Additional prices of bus and launch tickets, illegal parking, highway-side kitchen markets spilling on the road, and the movement of three-wheelers on highways, however, caused public suffering.
After celebrating Eid in their ancestral homes and tourist spots in different corners of the country, holidaymakers are returning to Dhaka to join work from tomorrow.
Since Friday morning throngs of people were seen arriving at the capital by trains at the Dhaka rail station, popularly known as Kamalapur station.
Some were also seen boarding trains to leave the city.
Bangladesh Railway鈥檚 Dhaka divisional railway manager Mohiuddin Arif said that the number of people returning Dhaka increased from Friday.
鈥楢s the offices will reopen on Sunday so more people are returning now,鈥� he said and added that some people were still leaving Dhaka.
On Thursday at about 10:00pm, the server for selling train tickets via Rail Sheba mobile app and railway鈥檚 official website was shut down.
The server finally reopened at about 10:45am on Friday, said Bangladesh Railway director general Md Afzal Hossain.
During the period people were unable to buy tickets online, while ticket selling from counters also remained closed.
Director general Afzal Hossain said that the system鈥檚 upgrading caused some technical problems leading to its complete shutdown.
At the capital鈥檚 three inter-district bus terminals at Gabtoli, Mohakhali and Saidabad, passengers were seen leaving and entering Dhaka throughout the day.
Some staff of some of the bus companies said that the rush of the Dhaka-bound passengers would continue till Saturday.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Barishal reported that three bus ticket counters in Barishal were fined Tk 13,000 for charging additional fares from passengers.
The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority along with the district administration conducted a joint operation at the bus counters of Nathullabad Bus Terminal in Barishal city to ensure smooth Eid journey.
At that time the staff at the ticket counter of Golden Line Paribahan of Karim Group was fined Tk 5,000, Labiba Classic Paribahan was fined Tk 5,000, and Hanif Paribahan was fined Tk 3,000 for charging additional fares.
The extra fares collected from passengers were later refunded.
On Thursday, BRTA mobile courts filed 326 cases and realised Tk 6.95 lakh under a special drive across the country against charging additional fares, overs peeding, violation of routes, overloading, using hydraulic horns, and driving without helmets, and carrying more than one pillion on motorcycles.
At the Sadarghat launch terminal in the city, many passengers were seen disembarking from launches on Friday.
