Traffic movement slowed down over a 13-kilometre stretch on the Jamuna Bridge–Dhaka–Tangail highway as homebound travellers continued to leave the capital.
Officials said the slowdown stretched from Elenga to the Jamuna Bridge area due to heavy vehicle pressure, rain and multiple vehicle breakdowns on the bridge connecting road during the night.
The Eid holiday rush intensified as people from northern districts began returning home from Dhaka on the second day of the holiday. The pressure of vehicles increased further as more travellers left the capital ahead of Eid-ul-Adha.
According to Jamuna Bridge authorities, 53,246 vehicles crossed the bridge in the 24 hours from Sunday midnight to Monday midnight. During the same period, toll collection stood at Tk3.77 crore.
Of the total vehicles, 32,186 travelled towards the northern region, generating Tk1.96 crore in tolls. On the western side, 21,060 vehicles crossed towards Dhaka, with Tk1.81 crore collected in tolls.
Jamuna Bridge site office Executive Engineer Syed Riaz Uddin said rainfall and increased traffic volume created temporary congestion during the night. He said the situation started improving as the day progressed.
Meanwhile, large-scale traffic pressure was also reported on the Dhaka–Mymensingh.
Commuters faced slow movement and intermittent tailbacks in areas including Chandra Trimore, Safipur, Board Bazar, Bhogra and Chandana Chowrasta.
A long queue of northbound vehicles was seen stretching several kilometres around Chandra Trimore. Traffic also moved slowly along the Safipur–Chandra flyover and Chandra–Nabinagar road sections due to congestion.
The situation worsened as around 40 to 42 per cent of industrial establishments in Gazipur began Eid holidays on Monday, causing a mass departure of workers from the industrial zone.
Passenger pressure increased at bus terminals and roadside stops, while travellers also reported delays in getting buses.
Some passengers said transport operators were charging higher fares than approved rates ahead of the festival.
Gazipur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) SM Ashraful Islam said additional police personnel had been deployed at key points along the highways.
He said authorities were closely monitoring the situation and wreckers had been kept ready to remove stalled vehicles quickly to prevent prolonged congestion.
On the Tangail side, police said around 1,000 officers had been deployed to manage traffic flow and ensure smooth Eid travel.
Officials added that special monitoring continued on the bridge area to maintain order and prevent crimes such as theft and mugging during the holiday rush.
