Homegoers leaving port city

Home-goers in their thousands have started to leave the port city for villages to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of the Muslims.
The railway station and bus and launch terminals of the city become over-crowded with the people rushing for their destinations.
Yesterday (Wednesday) was the public holiday for Lailat-ul-Qadr.
If the Eid is observed on July 18, there will be only one day of the month of Ramzan left.
So, many of the government and non-government officials taking one day’s leave left the city to celebrate Eid outside with their near and dear ones. Visiting the railway station and launch and bus terminals of the port city on Wednesday morning this correspondent found huge crowds of the home-bound people.
They were found waiting for launches, buses and trains. SM Tanvir Arafat, additional deputy commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB) police, said that the city dwellers started leaving the city from Tuesday. The rush increased on Wednesday much.
The pressure of the people in the city started to reduce from Wednesday morning.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) has also taken full-fledged security measures for the home- goers. Additional police forces have been deployed on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway and at the bus and launch terminals to ensure safe journey of the home-goers.
Ashikur Rahman, a government official who was going to his Sylhet village home, told The Independent at Chittagong Railway Station, “We are going to our village to celebrate Eid with my family. The atmosphere is better than the last year. I hope it will be a comfortable journey.”
Shirin Begum, a garments worker, who was going to Comilla, said that she also was going to celebrate the festival with her family at her village. Mofizur Rahman, divisional manager of Bangladesh Railway (East Zone), told The Independent, “The pressure of the home-goers is increasing.  On Thursday and Friday, it will increase more.”
Railway police sources said they have also taken full-fledged security measures to avoid any kind of untoward situations.
While visiting Kadamtali bus terminal, home-goers were also found waiting there for buses. At Sadargaht launch terminal, home-bound people were also seen thronging for launches. Ripaz Uddin, a student bound for Hatiya, told The Independent that the ships were in dilapidated condition.
There lies risk in making journey by the decrepit vessels, he added.
Faisal Alam Chowdhury, manager (commerce) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), told The Independent “There is no possibility of rush as we have started new services for the passengers on different routes. Besides, two special launches will carry passengers on Thursday and Friday.”

Homegoers leaving port city

Home-goers in their thousands have started to leave the port city for villages to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of the Muslims. The railway station and bus and launch terminals of the city become over-crowded with the people rushing for their destinations. Yesterday (Wednesday) was the public holiday for Lailat-ul-Qadr. If the Eid is observed on July 18, there will be only one day of the month of Ramzan left. So, many of the government and non-government officials taking one days leave left the city to celebrate Eid outside with their near and dear ones. Visiting the railway station and launch and bus terminals of the port city on Wednesday morning this correspondent found huge crowds of the home-bound people. They were found waiting for launches, buses and trains. SM Tanvir Arafat, additional deputy commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB) police, said that the city dwellers started leaving the city from Tuesday. The rush increased on Wednesday much. The pressure of the people in the city started to reduce from Wednesday morning. Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) has also taken full-fledged security measures for the home- goers. Additional police forces have been deployed on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway and at the bus and launch terminals to ensure safe journey of the home-goers. Ashikur Rahman, a government official who was going to his Sylhet village home, told The Independent at Chittagong Railway Station, We are going to our village to celebrate Eid with my family. The atmosphere is better than the last year. I hope it will be a comfortable journey. Shirin Begum, a garments worker, who was going to Comilla, said that she also was going to celebrate the festival with her family at her village. Mofizur Rahman, divisional manager of Bangladesh Railway (East Zone), told The Independent, The pressure of the home-goers is increasing. On Thursday and Friday, it will increase more. Railway police sources said they have also taken full-fledged security measures to avoid any kind of untoward situations. While visiting Kadamtali bus terminal, home-goers were also found waiting there for buses. At Sadargaht launch terminal, home-bound people were also seen thronging for launches. Ripaz Uddin, a student bound for Hatiya, told The Independent that the ships were in dilapidated condition. There lies risk in making journey by the decrepit vessels, he added. Faisal Alam Chowdhury, manager (commerce) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), told The Independent There is no possibility of rush as we have started new services for the passengers on different routes. Besides, two special launches will carry passengers on Thursday and Friday.