& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

No highway in bad shape

Claims Quader

Staff Correspondent
Communications Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday claimed that condition of the country's highways was “good enough" to take the heavy traffic load ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
"No highway is in bad shape now ... those which were in rundown condition have been made fit for traffic,” the minister told journalists emerging from a meeting with railway officials at Railway Bhaban in the capital.
Quader, also in-charge of the railway ministry, however, admitted that some of the district-level roads were in bad shape and needed to be repaired.
The minister also asked media to verify the reports on the status of roads and highways coming from outside Dhaka before publishing those.
The minister's remarks came when both print and electronic media reports suggest that many highways and roads across the country are in a battered condition, and therefore, would cause sufferings to the homebound people during Eid.
The issue of depleted
roads and highways drew much attention ahead of Eid last year when the former communications minister had to undergo severe criticisms from different quarters.
“I welcome criticisms; but do not scare people saying that the highways are in dilapidated condition,” Quader urged newsmen, adding, “If there is panic, passengers will rush for trains putting huge pressure on the rail.”
On railway’s preparations, he said a total of seven pairs of special trains would start operating three days before the Eid to carry the extra passengers. After Eid, the special trains would continue for another seven days with a two-day break.
Abu Taher, director general of the railway, added that the special trains would operate on the Dhaka-
Khulna, Dhaka-Dewanganj, Dhaka-Parbartipur, Chittagong-Noakhali, Chittagong-Chandpur and Mymensingh-Kishoreganj routes.
Apart from this, Taher said a special train would carry the Muslim devotees heading for Sholakia in Kishoreganj from Dhaka on the Eid day. The country's largest Eid congregation has been taking place in Sholakia for years.
The minister directed the rail authorities to prevent passengers from travelling on the roof of trains, to look after women and children while getting in and out of the trains, and to prevent any sort of subversive activities during the Eid.
Quader also asked officials to keep ready relief trains so that any situation could be handled promptly in case of accidents.