Safe Travels
How to stay safe while traveling this Eid
One of the best things about Eid is going back to your home town, visiting all your relatives, catching up with your childhood friends and simply roaming around the town, reminiscing the countless memories. However, the road to home can sure be grueling. Whether you are going by bus, train, launch or even by air – the long queues, the crowd, and the bustling congestion can surely take its toll on you. Moreover, incidents of pickpockets and mugging drastically increase during this period. So how you stay safe? Here are a few tips jotted down by Farhad Chowdhury Zishan below ―
Allocate some extra money in a separate pocket. Don’t put all your monetary belongings in one place.
In fact, this highly resembles the famous saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. Say, for example, you put all your credit cards and banknotes in your wallet. What if it gets mugged? You will be le completely stranded. To avoid this, keep a small amount of money – at least enough to cover your journey – in a small pouch or inside one of your luggage’s pocket. With all the mobile financial services companies available; another pro tip would be storing some extra money in your mobile bank account before your journey.
Note down key contact numbers
It is important you jot down a few cellphone numbers; preferably the ones of your family members, a few close friends and
If you feel uncomfortable
Harassment inside public transport has become an epidemic these days. And it is likely to increases during the Eid season. Starting from unwanted touches to catcalls to even rape – anything can take place if you are not aware of your surroundings. If you detect the slightest chances of any imminent threat, become cautious. In a loud voice, charge the perpetrator. If you are traveling by an almost empty bus, go ahead and get to one of the front seats. Call someone immediately and keep him/her on the phone. In times of distress, fear or confusion won’t lead to solutions; but staying calm and thinking effectively will.
If you need to leave your vehicle for a washroom or any other reason, try to appoint someone to look after your belongings.
Thieves often treat this as a golden opportunity – you leave the bus/train for certain reasons and they steal your luggage. Simple plan. Even if you think that you are inside a very safe mode of transportation, it’s always better to assign a fellow travel companion to be in charge of your belongings while you step out of the vehicle.
Note down some of the numbers of the police stations that you will be crossing while on your journey.
What if your mode of transport gets into an accident in the middle of the highway? You are a few hundred miles away from the nearest city and there have been a few fatalities already. You can’t necessarily rely on the locals to arrange everything; even if they do, it is likely to be very time-consuming. Hence, it is of utmost importance that you keep a separate notebook or simply a page where you will have the necessary police station contact details jotted down.
Inform some of your friends beforehand; so that they are aware that you are leaving town.
It is always better to keep someone informed regarding your journey. They’d know when you are likely to leave town and when you’ll be arriving. Hence, they can also call you up to confirm that you have arrived safely. In case any unforeseen event takes place or if they can’t find you on the phone, they can easily call your family members to raise a
DO NOT eat anything that your travel companion gives you.
He may be a great conversationalist. She might be a shy individual, constantly blushing at every eye contact. He might be a middle-aged man with innocence all over his face. Or someone who resembles your mom. Don’t let the face fool you. Even if you are from the same home town, even if you think the one sitting beside you is the best travel buddy you could have ever asked for, it’s best not to eat anything he/she o ers. Homemade food or packaged food – everything counts. Mixed with medicines that makes you unconscious within minutes, it’s the easiest trick out of The Mugging Playbook.
Avoid wearing white dresses if you are traveling at night.
The possibilities of hijacking increase exponentially during night travel. It’s all about a game of intimidation. The hijacker steps inside the vehicle, ashes his weapon, gets everyone frightened. As a result, people tend to hand over all their precious belongings. But in case, the passengers do not agree to cooperate, then hijackers o en stab a few passengers to instill fear within the mass. And for this, they o en tend to pick someone whose blood can be easily visible in the darkness of the night. Hence, wearing white clothing while night travel highly exposes you to be a threat during hijacks.
Beware while dozing off; keep track of your belongings.
Scenic beauty, the amazing summer breeze and eclectic, natural sounds of rural Bangladesh – the perfect elements to make you take a comfortable shut-eye. But once you do, chances are that a mugger might come down at the nearest bus stand/railway station, taking your luggage away with him. So make sure you fall asleep keeping the security of your luggage in check.
Keeping a mini first-aid kit shall always prove to be handy.
Long-distance journeys can be full of uncertainties and you never know what kind of a problem might come at you. Therefore, carry a small bag where you can carry a few paracetamols, a few painkillers, some band-aids, and antiseptic cream. You will be surprised to see how often these things come in handy.
The season of festivity is near. We all look forward to this time of the year. Do not let unwanted incidents turn your highly anticipated event into a dreadful nightmare. The tips mentioned above are easy and are not time-consuming. Taking these small steps are likely to give a much more secure, stress-free journey – ensuring that you can safely return home to see the smiling faces of your family. Remember, security should not be achieved by chance; rather by choice.
