SAVAR: Outbound people are on way home to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with near and dear ones facing severe tailbacks on different routes from the capital, including the Dhaka-Bangabandhu Bridge Highway and the Dhaka-Aricha-Savar Highway.

All major stations and terminals in the capital became centre-points of gathering as people by their thousand scrambled there before leaving the city as early as possible to reach their far-off destinations.

Law enforcers set up monitoring cells at train, bus and launch stations to ensure hassle-free journeyof the holidaymakers.  

Since Thursday morning, vehicles carrying passengers have been facing traffic congestion on fhe Dhaka-Tangail Highway at Ashulia, after crossing the Dhaka-Aricha Highway, at six points in Savar area, including Aminbazar, Hemayetpur, Thana stand and Bazar bus stand.

Dhaka district police super Iqbal Bahar told Banglanews, "The traffic jam is now out of control despite deployment of additional police at different points of the highway."

He also said police, armed police, highway police, Ansar and also some 400 members of community police were deployed in Savar to ease the sufferings of passengers.

“Huge numbers of vehicles are plying different routes from the capital, creating such a situation,” he added.

On-duty Dhaka district additional police super Mozzammal Haq said, “When a truck plunged in Palli Bidyut area at 2:30 am, the traffic on the road had been suspended for more than one hour, resulting in a painful jam. But I tried my level best to overcome the situation."

Meanwhile, an Ansar member was crushed to death under the wheels of a truck in the early hours of the day when he was on duty to clear traffic jams on the Dhaka-Aricha highway.

The victim was identified as Abu Hanif Sarkar, 26. A Dhaka-bound truck ran over him at Bismail at 2:15am, said police sources.

A nagging traffic jam was also created at Chandra intersection on the northern route when a large number of vehicles from Dhaka arrived there.

North-bound SR Travels driver Shamsul Alam said, “It took more than eight hours to reach Chandra from Gabtoli.

Savar thana OC alleged that huge vehicles came out on the roads without having route permits ahead of Eid, triggering the severe jam.

BDST: 1150 HRS, SEP 9, 2010