As the extended Eid vacation draws to a close, Dhaka is gradually regaining its pace, with people returning from their hometowns after celebrating Eid-ul-Adha with family and loved ones back at their roots.
Bangladesh celebrated Eid-ul-Adha, the holy feast of sacrifice, on Saturday with due religious fervor and solemnity.
From early Tuesday, a steady stream of returnees was seen arriving at the capital’s major entry points — Kamalapur Railway Station, Sadarghat Launch Terminal, and Gabtoli, Gulistan and Sayedabad bus terminals.
Many commuters cited a desire to avoid last-minute travel chaos and enjoy a quieter Dhaka as the reasons for cutting their holidays short.
The interim government-declared 10-day holiday period is yet to end, but large numbers of working-class people have already started making their way back to the capital city.
At Sadarghat, launches from Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali, and Barguna arrived with a high volume of passengers. Most of them, smiling through travel fatigue, described the Eid break as a much-needed respite.
“Time with family is always special. It helps wash away a year’s worth of exhaustion,” said Ahsan Kamrul, a returnee from Bhola. He added that returning a few days early gave him a chance to explore the unusually quiet capital and settle in before work resumed.
At Kamalapur Railway Station, Jahidul Islam, who returned from Darshana, shared a different reason for his early return. “I work at a private company and had only five days off, unlike others who had gotten 10 days. My office reopens today,” he said, on his way directly to work from the station.
Across the capital, a similar pattern was visible — workers and employees from across the country gradually making their way back through Dhaka’s various transit hubs. At the same time, some Dhaka residents were still taking advantage of the long holiday to leave the city, resulting in a balanced but steady ebb and flow.
Despite the early return, public transport remained largely manageable, with no significant reports of delays or overcrowding — a contrast to the hectic scenes usually witnessed during the final days of major holidays.