As Eid-ul-Fitr approaches, there are growing concerns over the anticipated rise in road traffic and security risks for those traveling to their hometowns for the holiday. With the fragile law and order situation in the country, fears of robberies, snatching, accidents, and traffic jams are becoming more prominent, especially on the unprotected highways. Historically, a significant number of people travel by road from the capital to their villages during Eid, and this year, given the longer holiday, the pressure on roads and highways is expected to be even greater.
Eid Travel Expected to Create Severe Public Transport Crisis: The Eid pilgrimage is always marked by a severe public transport crisis, with roads and highways becoming jam-packed as people rush to their hometowns. This congestion, compounded by poor traffic management, results in long traffic jams and an increase in accidents. The longer duration of this year’s Eid holiday is expected to exacerbate these issues, creating even more challenges for both travelers and authorities.
According to sources in the transport sector and law enforcement, the increased number of people traveling to their destinations will significantly strain the available infrastructure. It is estimated that around 1.5 crore people will travel from Dhaka and surrounding districts, with another 30 to 35 crore people expected to travel between other districts across the country. Of these, approximately 75 percent will travel by road, 17 percent by water, and 8 percent by rail. This mass movement of people increases the risks of accidents and the likelihood of safety hazards.
Rising Threat of Robberies and Snatching on Highways: In addition to traffic congestion and accidents, one of the key concerns during this period is the increasing threat of robberies and snatching on highways. Due to the fragile law and order situation, criminals are taking advantage of the heavy traffic, targeting vulnerable travelers. To combat this growing issue, the police have already initiated operations to apprehend 1,443 individuals involved in road robberies. Law enforcement has deployed 340 operation teams to monitor the country’s 3,900 kilometers of national highways.
The Highway Police are focused on addressing this issue, with a campaign in place to ensure passenger safety. Authorities are committed to responding to calls made to the Highway Police hotline within 15 minutes. Additionally, other intelligence agencies have been mobilized to monitor and prevent criminal activity along the highways.
Unfit Vehicles Contributing to Accidents: A major contributing factor to the increase in road accidents is the prevalence of unfit vehicles taking to the roads during the Eid period. Many vehicles, especially those used by workers returning home after receiving their salaries and bonuses, are not roadworthy. These vehicles, with limited capacity and often in poor condition, add to the risk of accidents on the highways.
Transport authorities are urging the payment of bonuses to workers ahead of time, which would allow for a more staggered departure and reduce the pressure on the roads. If the bonuses were paid in advance, fewer workers would be on the road at once, potentially reducing the number of accidents. Unfortunately, this preventive measure has not been implemented consistently, and the issue of unfit vehicles remains a significant risk during the Eid journey.
The Need for Stronger Traffic Management and Enforcement: To ensure a smoother and safer Eid journey, traffic management needs to be improved, and stricter enforcement of road safety laws is essential. One of the key measures being considered is to ban vehicles such as pedal rickshaws, battery-powered easy bikes, Nasimon-Karimon, and CNG-powered auto-rickshaws from national highways a few days before Eid. This would help reduce traffic congestion and prevent accidents caused by these vehicles on major roads.
Additionally, authorities are working to resolve traffic congestion at highway toll plazas by deploying extra manpower. The Highway Police, along with District and Metropolitan Traffic Police, have increased patrolling along the roads to deter criminal activity and prevent robberies and snatching. Road safety and law enforcement agencies are also on high alert, with coordination between them expected to improve safety and reduce accidents.
Passenger Rights and Accountability: While authorities are working to manage the increasing traffic and security risks, there are also concerns about passenger suffering and the unfair treatment of travelers. Md. Saiful Alam, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, highlighted the increasing passenger suffering caused by mismanagement and lack of proper organization. He expressed that road transport owners would be strict in ensuring that no additional fares are collected from passengers during the Eid holiday period.
The upcoming Eid pilgrimage is expected to bring about significant challenges in terms of road traffic and security risks. With millions of people traveling across the country, authorities must take swift and comprehensive action to ensure the safety of passengers and reduce the number of accidents and robberies. Stronger traffic management, improved vehicle inspections, better enforcement of road safety regulations, and increased security measures are essential to making the Eid journey safer for all. By addressing these issues proactively, the Eid pilgrimage can be made less stressful and more secure for everyone involved.
