Security stepped up as Eid rush hits tracks, highways

With Eid-ul-Azha just days away and a seven-day government holiday set to begin tomorrow, people began leaving Dhaka in large numbers on Saturday to celebrate the festival of sacrifice with their families. 
The annual exodus has left the capital’s railway stations and transport hubs increasingly crowded.
Holidaymakers commenced their journeys in a largely peaceful atmosphere, with most trains departing Kamalapur Railway Station on schedule, experiencing delays of no more than five to ten minutes.
To ensure a smoother and more comfortable journey, railway authorities have added extra compartments to regular trains. The government has declared a consecutive seven-day public holiday for Eid-ul-Azha from 25 to 31 May, extending the core festive period around the main Eid day on 28 May.
Station Manager Kabir Uddin noted that passengers who purchased tickets on 13 May began departing on Saturday.
“A total of 66 trains are scheduled to depart from the capital on various routes today. Of these, 43 are intercity trains and 23 are commuter services. Besides, special Eid train services will begin tomorrow (Sunday),” he said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Railway has tightened security and stepped up station monitoring to prevent untoward incidents and stop passengers from travelling on rooftops.
Md Fahimul Islam, secretary of Bangladesh Railway, visited Kamalapur railway station on Saturday to oversee preparations.
“There is no fear of schedule disruptions during this year’s Eid journey. We will remain alert at all times, maintaining uninterrupted inter-departmental coordination to ensure a comfortable journey,” he said.
Addressing the perennial hazard of passengers climbing onto train roofs using ladders, Fahimul warned that rooftop travel poses severe risks to both train operations and human lives. 
He confirmed that law enforcement agencies and the Railway Police are on high alert, particularly on northern routes where the practice is most prevalent.
Mobile courts and vigilance teams have been deployed at Kamalapur, Airport, and other major stations. 
A three-tier security system is also in place to bar ticketless travellers from entering platforms. 
To cope with peak seasonal demand, the government has permitted a 25% quota for standing tickets.
Furthermore, additional police units, coordinated with the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), have been deployed at Kamalapur to curb snatching and ticket black-marketing. 
Around 100 personnel from the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) are bolstering regular railway security. Passengers have been urged to report irregularities via the railway hotline, 131.

Return Eid train tickets go on sale
To facilitate a smooth return to the capital, Bangladesh Railway began selling advance return tickets on Saturday.
Tickets for 2 June went on sale on Saturday, with western region sales opening at 8:00am and eastern region sales at 2pm, the station manager confirmed. Tickets for 3 June will be available on 24 May, followed by 4 June tickets on 25 May.  These seasonal tickets are non-refundable, and a maximum of four seats can be purchased per transaction, requiring the names of all accompanying passengers.

New rigid pavement at Abdullahpur opened to ease traffic
A newly constructed 160-metre rigid pavement at the notorious Abdullahpur intersection on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway was officially opened to traffic on Saturday to ease the Eid rush.
Mohammad Abdur Rouf, secretary of the Bridges Division, stated that the infrastructure will significantly reduce congestion at one of Dhaka’s critical bottleneck points.
“We have completed the 160-metre rigid pavement at a challenging time just days before Eid-ul-Azha. The suffering of homebound people will be reduced significantly,” he said.
Rouf instructed traffic authorities to ensure uninterrupted vehicle movement in both directions throughout the festive period.