Eid travellers start to return, traffic still light in Dhaka

After enjoying the Eid al-Adha holidays, residents of Dhaka are gradually returning while the capital city is experiencing sparse traffic with fewer vehicles and pedestrians on the roads. 

Joynal Abedin, employed at a private company in Dhaka, is one of these returning holidaymakers. He came back from Noakhali by bus on Tuesday.

"There was hardly any traffic on the way back," Joynal said. "The bus was also less crowded. I left my family behind since the children's schools are still closed. I plan to return on Thursday after work and reunite with everyone on Saturday," he told The Business Standard.

Md Rezaul Karim, who travelled from Bogura on Tuesday, arrived in Dhaka two hours earlier than usual due to the lighter traffic.

"It typically takes 5-6 hours to come from Bogura, even longer with traffic jams. However, I made it in four hours today. The roads were clear," Rezaul told TBS. He anticipates a rise in traffic volume on Friday and Saturday.

The government's three-day Eid holiday, coupled with the prior weekend break, resulted in a five-day vacation ending Tuesday.

According to industry sources, many people are utilising additional leave on Wednesday and Thursday to spend time with family before returning to Dhaka on Friday or Saturday.

This extended holiday period is currently contributing to the lighter traffic flow.

Normal operations at transportation hubs

Kamalapur Station witnessed usual passenger movement on Tuesday, with some departing Dhaka and others returning.

"People are still leaving Dhaka. However, some have also started returning since Tuesday. There is no significant passenger pressure at the moment. We are seeing some office workers returning." said Kamalapur Railway Station Master Mohammad Anwar Hossain.

He said they anticipate an increase in passenger volume heading to Dhaka on Friday and Saturday. He also reported that trains are operating nearly normally, with no major schedule disruptions.

Ferries on various routes departing from Sadarghat Terminal, including those bound for Barishal and Bhola, were filled with passengers on Monday. The crowd of individuals returning to Dhaka began to grow at the terminal as the day progressed.

Ashraful Islam, who travelled from Bhola on Monday night to work in Dhaka on Tuesday, reported, "There was not an excessive number of people travelling to Dhaka because there were enough ferries available. However, all the ferries were full. Fortunately, boarding did not take long, and the fare was normal."

During a recent Eid greeting exchange at his ministry, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader highlighted the importance of safe return travel.

"While the Eid journeys on roads have been relatively smooth, the return trips remain a concern. Less attention is often paid to return journeys, which can lead to accidents. Therefore, we must prioritise ensuring the safety of return journeys as well," Quader said.

The minister noted that maintaining discipline on the roads will significantly reduce accidents.