Eid rush begins as thousands leave capital

FE REPORT
City dwellers began leaving the capital on Thursday ahead of the holy Eid-ul-Azha to celebrate the festival with their families in their ancestral villages, triggering the annual rush at major transport hubs.
Visiting key terminals -- including Kamalapur Railway Station, Sadarghat Launch Terminal and bus terminals in Sayedabad, Mohakhali and Gabtoli -- The Financial Express correspondent found a steady stream of homebound passengers departing the city with festive excitement.
Officials estimate that around 15 million people may leave the capital during the Eid period, a movement that typically puts severe pressure on inter-district highways, including the Dhaka-Chattogram, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mawa routes.
Trains remained the most preferred mode of travel, with a large number of passengers opting for railway services due to perceived efficiency and relative comfort.
At Kamalapur, families, students and elderly passengers were among those boarding trains to various destinations across the country.
"I sent my family to my village home in Jamalpur a few days before Eid to avoid the last-minute rush," said Md Selim, a banker at the station.
"My university is closed for Eid holidays, so I am leaving the capital," said Md Mamun Mirza, a private university student, before travelling to Rajshahi.
Railway officials said preparations had been strengthened to ensure safe and smooth travel for passengers.
"We have taken adequate measures to ensure safety and security of passengers," said Md Kabir Uddin, manager of Kamalapur Railway Station.
"All arrangements are in place to facilitate safe travel to respective destinations."
He also noted that a help desk is being set up at the station to assist passengers.
Similar scenes were observed at Sayedabad, Gabtoli and Mohakhali bus terminals, where a growing number of passengers were seen leaving the city.
Transport operators reported that advance ticket holders were travelling as scheduled, while long-distance buses to destinations such as Cumilla, Sylhet, Brahmanbaria, Noakhali and  Chattogram were operating with full passenger loads.
At Sadarghat, launches bound for southern districts including Barishal, Barguna, Patuakhali, Pirojpur and Chandpur were also seen departing with passengers.
Operators said passenger numbers were expected to increase further from the weekend.
A Barishal-bound launch operator said demand would likely surge from Sunday, adding that passengers were being charged regular fares without additional fees.
Security has been tightened across major transport hubs.
Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Ansar members are on duty at stations and terminals to ensure safety and crowd management.
The government has also deployed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel at key points in the capital and surrounding areas to maintain law and order, ease traffic congestion and ensure smooth movement during the Eid travel period.
According to BGB public relations officer Shariful Islam, personnel have been stationed in areas including New Market, the Elevated Expressway, Savar's Nabinagar and Baipail, Gazipur City Corporation and Gazipur Chowrasta.
He said the deployment, made under government directives, aims to support safe travel and assist mobile court operations at toll plazas, highways and congestion-prone zones.
BGB personnel will remain deployed from seven days before Eid until three days after the festival, he added.
Meanwhile, the government has advised travellers to avoid unauthorised or overloaded transport, including pickup vans and cargo vehicles, which are frequently involved in accidents during the Eid rush.
Advance return train ticket sales also began at 8:00am on Thursday (May 21). Tickets for May 31 are being sold on the day, while tickets for subsequent return dates are being issued on a staggered schedule up to June 4, according to Bangladesh Railway.
Earlier, advance outbound ticket sales began on May 13 for journeys between May 23 and May 27. The decision on the advance ticket schedule was taken at a Bangladesh Railway meeting on April 30.
Eid-ul-Azha is expected to be celebrated nationwide on May 28, 2026 (Thursday).
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com