Fearing traffic congestion on highway, many homebound people are now choosing launch and train journeys to go to their native home.
Many potholes riddle the Dhaka-Mymensing Highway and the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway at many points, according to transport workers.
The three-day Eid holiday will start from August 8 but many people, managing three more days of leave, will start leaving the city from August 5. It is expected that around 5m people will leave the capital to celebrate Eid with their family and friends.
Khondokar Enayet Ullah Khan, general secretary of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners' Workers' Union, told the Dhaka Tribune the number of bus passengers had declined in almost all the routes due to run-down state of highway.
"Passengers are afraid of accidents and grueling traffic congestions on roads. So many people are avoiding bus journey," he said, adding that the number of passengers on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway has dropped drastically.
Ismail Hussein Bacchu, general secretary of Dhaka District Bus Workers' Association, said: "If the entrance of the capital is not free of traffic congestion, passengers will have to suffer a lot ahead of Eid."
"The authorities need to take measures to ensure smooth vehicular movement on the roads of Jatrabari, Postagola, Demra, Gazipur and Aminbazar area," he added.
Transport owners have held several meetings with the government officials and expressed concerns over the dilapidated condition of highway.
Officials at Sadarghat Launch Terminal Thursday said the number of home-bound passengers on waterways has increased by 10% this year. So far the rise in railway is around 15%, sources of railway authorities told the Dhaka Tribune Thursday.
During a visit to Sadarghat Launch Terminal Thursday, this correspondent found hundreds of city-dwellers leaving the city to celebrate the Eid with their relatives.
"I travelled by bus last year. But I preferred launch this year to avoid congestion and accident on the miserably broken roads," said Atikur Rahman, who was waiting for a Barisal-bound launch at the terminal.
The number of passengers is increasing every day at the terminal and it seems to be more than that of last year, said Khairul Bashir, station manager of Kamlapur Railway Station. Mosharraf Hossain was waiting at the launch terminal with his wife and two children in the afternoon.
Last year he went to Barisal by bus. He chose launch this time to avoid rush on the highway or any unexpected situations due to its sorry state.
Mahmudul Alam Montu, member secretary of Bangladesh truck-covered van transport agency, said the condition of road is very bad and if the concerned authorities do not take immediate actions then it will turn out to be the nation's bane.
Asaduzzaman Mia, Deputy Inspector General of Highway Police told the Dhaka Tribune that they have already taken several initiatives to tackle the highway jam, such as take actions against faulty vehicles, removal of hawkers, special security on bridge and toll section and deployment of mobile courts to take immediate actions against any irregularities.