Padma Bridge makes roadways top choice for Eid holidaymakers

The capital’s Jatrabari and Sayedabad bus terminals are facing mounting pressure ahead of this year’s Eid-ul-Azha as holidaymakers of 21 southern districts for the first time are preferring to take roadways instead of waterways to reach their hometowns.

Most buses have run out of tickets with six days left for Eid-ul-Azha as a new era in the communication sector has opened up through the inauguration of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, according to the road transport operators at those bus terminals.

Thousands of people thronged the Jatrabari and Sayedabad bus terminals to buy advance tickets ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha to be celebrated on July 10.

People’s interest in the southern districts to celebrate Eid with their dear and near ones this year has increased many times as they will be able to reach their native homes within a short time through the Padma Bridge, according to transport owners.

The demand for bus tickets has increased this year compared to previous years and it will grow even more in two or three days, they said.

There is a huge rush of ticket seekers and no space to easily stand at any counter at the two bus terminals and the operators are struggling to deal with the ticket seekers, said Rajab Ali, a ticket seeker of Hanif Paribahan.

The scene of the last Eid-ul-Fitr was very different as waterways were the main option to reach home for people of the country’s southern districts.

Meanwhile, the sale of advance tickets for many luxurious buses on the Dhaka-Barishal and Dhaka-Khulna routes has already finished.

Many people are trying to get tickets online after being denied tickets from the two bus counters on Monday morning but to no avail.

Sensing pressure from ticket seekers this year, the transport owners began selling the Eid advance tickets on June 24.

The staff of many bus counters of the two terminals admitted to not anticipating the massive number of ticket aspirants this year.

There is an insufficient number of buses on the new route via Padma Bridge to meet the growing demand for tickets, they said.

The advance tickets for July 3 to 9 have already been sold out and those lucky holidaymakers with tickets will reach their destinations without any hassle during their journey this year, bus operators expect.

Green Line Paribahan officials said, earlier people had to reach Barishal, Patuakhali and other destinations spending many hours on launches and ferries but this year they will reach via Padma Bridge in less time compared to the previous years.

After repeated failed attempts to reach Green Line Paribahan for comments, a staff of the luxury bus operator finally picked up the phone only to tell the Business Insider Bangladesh that they were tremendously busy and had no time to talk to journalists.

While talking to the Business Insider Bangladesh, AZM Asadulla, chief operating officer of Elish Paribahan, said they will run 16 AC buses on Dhaka-Barishal- Kuakata route ahead of Eid.

“Our all tickets have already been sold out. We are having hard time to handle the situation amid the huge demand for tickets this year,” Asadulla said.