Desolate Dhaka

The night ended with the dawn of Eid-ul-Azha. Hours before the festival, Dhaka looked like a city transformed. The buzzing capital appears deserted, its thoroughfare empty. Most people have left the mega city for their homes in towns and villages to celebrate Eid with their families. As a result, the city’s bus stops, cross-roads, and sidewalks lack the usual crowded look. The streets, alleys and footpaths of the capital were occupied by sacrificial animals. Most of the sacrificial animals were slaughtered in the name of Almighty Allah on Monday morning after Eid-ul-Azha prayers. Kamalapur Railway Station, Sayedabad and Gabtoli bus terminals and Sadarghat launch ghat which were packed with home-bound people even on the day before the Eid, wore deserted look in the morning. Makeshift markets selling cattle and goats have also disappeared after the dawn, according to a news agency.