Eid rush at Sadarghat while Padma Bridge eases pressure on Gabtali, Saydabad
Chandpur-bound launches see some pressure, while Barishal, Jhalakathi, Bhola, and Barguna routes are less crowded. Ticket counters, including advance sales, show minimal queues.
As the seven-day Eid-ul-Fitr holiday kicks off, Dhaka's transport hubs display contrasting trends. At Sadarghat Launch Terminal, river traffic is gradually increasing, while Saydabad and Gabtoli bus terminals remain comparatively quiet.
Rows of launches are docked at Sadarghat, but most carry few passengers. Compared with Monday, passenger flow rose slowly today (17 March). Chandpur-bound launches are seeing moderate demand, whereas Barishal, Jhalakathi, Bhola, and Barguna routes remain lightly occupied.
Ticket counters, including advance sales, show minimal queues. Operators note numbers rise after the afternoon, but remain below full capacity. Routes to Chandpur, Bhola, Char Fasson, Lalmohon, and Barguna maintain steady occupancy, while Barishal, Bhandaria, and Jhalakathi see lighter loads.
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Abidul Islam, travelling with his family to Jhalakathi, arrived early to secure a preferred cabin. "Getting a ticket wasn't difficult today, but I came early expecting some crowd," he said.
Since the Padma Bridge opened in June 2022, southern river traffic has declined, but Eid encourages passengers to choose launches over rising bus fares for comfort. Operators have deployed extra vessels and crews, and staff note that the continuous holiday spreads departures, preventing large crowds at once.
Razzak Ali of the Matlab-bound Al-Borak said, "It's not as crowded as before, but numbers are picking up and will rise over the next two days."
BIWTC officials report only 15% of travellers now use waterways, down from 35% previously, with around 170 launches operating on 38 routes.
At Saydabad, roads see traffic, but counters are quiet as most tickets are sold online. Shahidul Islam of The Eagle Classic said passengers arrive according to schedules.
Low footfall at Gabtoli terminal
Gabtoli Bus Terminal remained unusually calm, attributed to increased use of the Padma Bridge, diverting travellers to other routes. Advance tickets for 17-19 March were largely sold, but many counters still had availability. Transport workers were seen calling for passengers, and IGP Ali Hossain Fakir warned operators against overcharging, noting nationwide directives to ensure smooth Eid travel.
Ratul Hossain Shuvo of Russell Enterprise, running buses to Magura, Jashore, and Satkhira, said fares to Satkhira are Tk960. Only four buses had left by 2pm due to low demand and severe fuel shortages: each bus needs 140 litres but receives only 20 litres, forcing on-the-spot ticket sales.
Passenger experiences varied: Mohammad Al Amin bought a Khulna ticket for Tk830, while Abdul Malek spent nearly an hour searching for a Kushtia ticket. Northern routes to Rangpur, Kurigram, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, and Lalmonirhat had higher demand; Barishal, Kuakata, and Faridpur remained quiet.
Operators cited infrastructure issues, including road repairs in the Beribadh area and the lack of a direct Gabtoli-Padma Bridge bypass.
BRTA Executive Magistrate Sukanta Saha said a vigilance team of BRTA, police, city corporation, and transport officials is monitoring the terminal. Complaints of overcharging or harassment are promptly addressed with fines and warnings.
