Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Friday urged owners of readymade factories to grant leave to their employees duing Eid in alternative phases to ease traffic cognestion on highways. He said: “Traffic congestion takes a severe turn in Savar and Gazipur where most garment factories are situated, as authorities of garments give leave to their workers simultaneously before every Eid. This trend should be changed. The minister said this while talking to journalists during a visit to the construction site of the Gazipur-Tangail four-lane highway at Bhogra, Gazipur in the morning. He also said the government earlier requested garment owners to give leave to their staff in alternative phases, but they did not pay heed to the appeal. “This year, my ministry [Road Transport and Bridges Ministry] has already given directives to the BGMEA to take steps over the issue, he added. He said nobody would be allowed to set up cattle markets along roads and highways ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival of the Muslims, aș it contributed to the traffic cognestion during Eid holidays. Terming keeping vehicular movement on highways smooth before and after Eid aș a big challenge, Obaidul said: :The government had taken a decision not to allow any cattle markets beside highways. It also asked people concerened for stopping the unfit vehicles carrying cattle at the start point of their journey.” Home-bound people faced no trouble in roads and highways during the Eid-ul-Fitr celebration, claimed the minister, adding that they had already started taking preparations to make the people’s journey safe and trouble-free during Eid-ul-Azha as well. During the visit, high officials of Roads and Highways Department and police personel accompanied the minister.
