Homebound passengers flood capital’s transport hubs

FE Team | Published: May 25, 2026 22:52:40

FE REPORT
Hundreds of thousands of homebound passengers thronged railway stations, bus terminals and launch terminals on Monday to return to their village homes to celebrate the Eid-ul-Azha with their loved ones.
From early morning, pressure of passengers increased at major transport hubs across the capital.
At Kamalapur Railway Station, a huge rush of passengers was seen from the morning. Many travellers arrived with families, heading to the southern region as well as Chattogram and Sylhet divisions.
Children were also seen excited about going back to their villages for the festival.
"I am going home for Eid, and I feel very happy. So far, the journey seems comfortable. Travelling by train is also quite convenient," said Aminur Rahman, a passenger of the Sundarban Express.
Another passenger, Md Reaz Uddin Ahmed, said he had bought tickets online in advance to avoid hassle.
"We often face long traffic jams on roads. Compared to that, train travel is more comfortable and safer," he said while travelling to Rajshahi.
Passengers said despite heavy crowds, travelling together for Eid felt enjoyable.
Long queues for commuter train tickets at Kamalapur have become a regular scene, especially during festivals.
Railway officials said ticket sales begin only two hours before departure due to the absence of advance ticketing arrangements.
Passengers without advance tickets were seen lining up from early morning. Limited online booking, heavy pressure at counters and fewer seats than demand added to their suffering.
Bangladesh Railway (BR) sources said one seat is allocated for every three tickets, with the remaining two treated as standing tickets, forcing many passengers to stand throughout the journey.
Meanwhile, the railway authorities on Monday launched special coaches for women passengers on selected intercity trains ahead of Eid-ul-Azha to ensure safer travel during the holiday rush.
BR Director General Md Afzal Hossain inaugurated the service at Kamalapur Railway Station. Women passengers welcomed the initiative and thanked the authorities for the arrangement.
Dedicated women coaches have been added to the Jayantika Express on the Dhaka-Sylhet-Dhaka route and the non-stop Sonar Bangla Express on the Dhaka-Chattogram-Dhaka route. The service will continue until May 27.
At Gabtoli Bus Terminal, passengers also thronged from early morning despite inclement weather.
Many operators displayed "No seat available" signs as demand surged.
Counter officials said all buses leaving the terminal on Monday were fully booked. Many passengers who sought tickets for same-day travel were unable to get seats. Operators said additional buses may be introduced if passenger pressure increases further.
Meanwhile, at Sadarghat Launch Terminal, thousands of passengers gathered to travel to southern districts.
Passengers said they were not charged extra fares, and operators were following government-fixed rates. Launch operators and law enforcers urged passengers not to travel on roofs for safety.
Traffic pressure also increased on major highways, including Dhaka-Chattogram, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh routes, as holiday travel began.
In Gazipur industrial zones, homebound workers started leaving for villages as factories declared Eid holidays in phases.
Passenger pressure increased in key points such as Chandra, Bhogra, Tongi and Chandona Chowrasta.
However, no major traffic congestion was reported due to police management.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com