On the day of Eid, residents of the capital Dhaka and surrounding districts are making their way to their hometowns. Thanks to the recently launched Padma Bridge, their journeys have become smoother, with reduced passenger and vehicle congestion on the waterway.
Around 5pm on Thursday, a crowd of passengers was observed boarding multiple launches at Daulatdia launch terminal, departing from Paturia terminal. However, there was no queue of vehicles heading towards Dhaka at the ferry terminal.
Authorities at the Daulatdia launch terminal stated that the introduction of the Padma Bridge has alleviated the pressure on the waterway, allowing passengers to return home without experiencing pre-Eid hardships.
Sirajul Haque, a passenger traveling from Gazipur to Pangsha, shared his experience, saying: "There is usually heavy traffic on the roads before Eid. Therefore, today (Thursday), I am traveling home by launch to celebrate Eid joyfully with my relatives. I managed to reach Daulatdia terminal without any hassle."
Hafizul Mia, accompanied by his family, expressed his intentions, saying: "We couldn't make it home before Eid, so today, my wife, children, and I are traveling to Machkandi in Faridpur to reunite with my parents on this auspicious day."
Aftab Hossain, the traffic inspector at the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Daulatdia terminal, mentioned: "Many people are heading to their village homes from Dhaka today (Thursday) with sacrificial meat. Passenger traffic towards Dhaka is expected to increase from tomorrow morning. Currently, 18 launches are operating on this route."
Mohammad Salahuddin, manager (trade) at the Daulatdia terminal of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), stated that the post-Eid rush to return to work has yet to commence. However, the pressure is anticipated to rise from tomorrow (Friday) morning onwards. Currently, 12 out of 18 ferries are in service due to less pressure of passengers. If the demand increases, the number of ferries will be increased.