Dhaka has fallen unusually quiet ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, with silence stretching from major roads to neighborhood lanes as residents leave the city for the holidays.
Eid-ul-Fitr will be observed on Saturday. In the meantime, hundreds of thousands of residents have already left the capital to celebrate Eid with their families, while many continued to depart on Friday. As a result, the city has become nearly empty, with crowds thinning significantly across both residential areas and main roads.
On Friday morning, on-the-ground observations showed that internal roads across the capital were almost completely empty. The movement of public transport has also decreased markedly. The number of CNG-run auto-rickshaws and rickshaws was seen to be comparatively lower than usual.
In areas including Rampura, Badda, Malibagh, Farmgate, Shahbagh, Dhanmondi, Mirpur, Sayedabad, and Uttara, fewer public transport vehicles were operating. Although some CNG auto-rickshaws and rickshaws were still running, their numbers were far below normal levels.
A similar picture was observed in residential neighborhoods such as Khilgaon, Banasree, Badda, Bashundhara, Dhanmondi, Mirpur, and Uttara, where the presence of residents has declined noticeably.
Many people have traveled to their village homes with their families, particularly due to the extended holiday.
Selim Mia, a resident of Banasree, said more people have left Dhaka this Eid compared to previous years because of the long holiday, making the capital feel significantly emptier.
Arifur Rahman, a resident of Rampura, said that while some people usually remain in the city during Eid, the number is extremely low this time as most have returned to their villages.
Meanwhile, with the capital largely empty, patrols by law enforcement agencies have been intensified. Members of the police and Rapid Action Battalion were seen conducting patrols, and additional measures have been taken to ensure security.