The main Eid-ul-Azha celebrations ended two days ago, but the extended government holiday has kept Dhaka unusually calm, with people returning from their villages and hometowns at a much slower pace than in previous years.
On Wednesday, four days after Eid, visits to various locations such as Dhaka’s railway stations, launch terminals and bus terminals revealed that the number of returning passengers remained relatively low.
The situation at Kamalapur Railway Station was normal, with passengers disembarking without hassle and leaving the station quickly.
Md Sharif, a street vendor from Motijheel who returned on a northbound train, said: “Government offices have not reopened yet, so I returned at my convenience. Otherwise, I usually come back right after Eid.”
Tariqul Islam, a student of a private university who was on the same train, said: “This time the post-Eid vacation was longer, so there was less pressure on transport. That made the journey smooth and trouble-free.”
A similar scenario was observed at the capital’s bus terminals, where passengers were seen returning at a relaxed pace.
Many of them reported a comfortable and uninterrupted journey.
Due to the reduced number of passengers, CNG auto-rickshaw drivers waiting outside the terminals also faced long idle periods.
Nazmul Hossain, a CNG-powered autorickshaw driver at the Jatrabari bus terminal, said: “Buses are arriving after long intervals and the number of passengers is low. Many of those arriving are opting for local buses or rickshaws. The demand for CNG autorickshaws will rise once government employees start returning.”
Meanwhile, passenger traffic at the launch terminals, including Sadarghat, also appeared lower than usual.
Vessels were arriving at the terminals with only their designated number of passengers.
