The home-bound people have started to leave the port city of Chittagong for their destinations to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with their near and dear ones.Bangladesh Railway, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) and bus operators have arranged special services to tackle the pressure of the home-bound passengers from Monday. Mohammad Moqbul Ahmed, general manager of railway (east zone), also visited the railway station on Monday and exchanged greetings with the passengers of Mahanagar Godhuli Express.
However, while visiting the Chittagong Railway Station and Sadarghat launch station yesterday (Tuesday), no pressure of the home-bound people was seen at the stations. Abul Kalam Azad, station manager of Chittagong Railway Station, told The Independent that pressure of home- bound passengers in special launch service will increase today (Wednesday). Two ships of BIWTC will leave Chittagong for Sandwip and Hatiya every day. Contacted, Faisal Alam Chowdhury, manager (commerce and passenger services) of BIWTC, Chittagong told The Independent, “ We have arranged two special trips  for coastal home-goers every day from Monday to ease the pressure of the home-bound people.” “This year, we will take all the measures to tackle the pressure. We hope there will be no problem for the passengers to travel on the routes. We are operating a ship directly to each route of Sandwip and Hatiya,” added Faisal. Ziaur Rahman, an NGO official, visiting Sylhet with his family, told The Independent in Chittagong railway station yesterday (Tuesday), “I have managed the tickets after waiting in a queue for seven hours; however, it seems to me that the pressure of the passengers is less than what I thought.” It may be mentioned that a total of nine inter-city trains leave Chittagong station for different destinations of the country.