This year’s Eid travel has exposed sharply different realities across the country’s four main transport modes – road, rail, water, and air.
On the roads, fuel limits, trip cancellations, shortages during the advance sale of tickets, and soaring fares on air-conditioned buses have left passengers in distress.
Rail travel has come under similar strain, with scarce tickets, risky standing journeys, and black-market sales on Facebook deepening the chaos. Waterways, by contrast, have offered relative relief, helped by tighter security, free porter services, and lower fares.
Air travel, though costlier, has largely remained safe and comfortable. Overall, while road and rail continue to expose serious shortages and management failures, better preparation on water and air routes has given passengers some respite.
Several crore people are expected to leave the capital this Eid. The biggest pressure is on roads, which account for around 60–70 percent of passenger movement.
Waterways are expected to carry 8 lakh to 10 lakh passengers, while railways state they can transport approximately 36,000 to 42,000 passengers a day. Air travel, though smaller in scale, is also seeing a notable Eid rush.
Road transport
Road travel has brought the worst suffering for homebound passengers this Eid.
Fuel limits have badly disrupted the transport sector, leaving passengers to deal with cancelled trips, a shortage of advance tickets, inflated AC bus fares, and the growing role of brokers.
Despite repeated government assurances that domestic travel would not be hit by fuel shortages, the scene at Dhaka’s Sayedabad, Gabtoli, Arambagh, Kalyanpur, and Mohakhali terminals suggests otherwise.
On 14 March, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir said, “Rising global fuel prices triggered by the Iran–Israel conflict would not affect Eid travel in Bangladesh and that fares would not increase.”
The road transport minister also stated there was no scope for AC bus fares to double.
The situation on the ground has been markedly different; although authorities said fuel distribution would be aligned with demand from 15 March, bus operators say supplies have fallen far short, forcing them to cancel trips and raise fares.
A counter staff member at Anas Paribahan told TIMES that a bus needs 180 litres of fuel for a return trip, but pumps were supplying only 30 litres. He warned that if they do not get fuel, services will stop completely, noting that on 16 March, none of their buses left as three remained stuck at pumps.
The impact has spread across several operators, including Taj Paribahan, which cancelled two trips on 16 March, and Burimari Express, which had 10 to 12 vehicles stranded despite introducing new buses.
Similar delays affected Darshana Deluxe and Rangdhanu Travels, where buses were lined up for hours without being able to depart.
Passengers say the shortage has turned ticket buying into an ordeal. For instance, Rafiqul Islam, a 32-year-old travelling to Cumilla, described being in serious trouble after failing to secure an advance ticket for two days despite a family emergency.
Because of uncertainty over fuel supplies, most operators, including BM Line, Mamun Enterprise, Eagle Paribahan, and Sarbik Paribahan in Sayedabad, have suspended advance ticket sales until rationing ends.
Even as Eagle Paribahan increased its trips from five to 16, it remained unable to sell advance tickets because of the fuel crisis.
Passengers Welfare Association General Secretary Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said his organisation had received complaints of double fares on some northern routes and cancelled trips linked to fuel shortages.
Under the cover of fuel scarcity, fares have risen sharply. At Sayedabad, BM Line is charging Tk800 for a non-AC ticket on the Dhaka–Khulna route, up from Tk600 last year, while Sara Express is charging Tk650 for an AC seat to Noakhali.
The sharpest increases have been in AC fares. While an SR Travels employee claimed non-AC fares remained unchanged, passengers like Nasrin Akter reported being forced to take non-AC buses after finding that AC fares had doubled.
Passengers unable to buy tickets at counters, such as Tania Sultana, are increasingly falling prey to brokers who are selling tickets at inflated prices, sometimes asking Tk1,100 to Tk1,300 for Rajshahi routes.
There are also allegations that some counter staff are profiting from the shortage by keeping a portion of the fare as personal profit. Sarbik Paribahan has stated it does not sell advance tickets and will not accept responsibility for brokers.
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Assistant Director Abdul Awal said vigilance teams and magistrates were in the field and that immediate action would be taken if specific complaints were received.
The disruption has also affected motorcyclists, with travellers heading to Barishal and Jhenaidah reporting waits of several hours at multiple pumps just to collect a few litres of fuel.
From 17 March, fuel supply appeared to improve somewhat, easing pressure on trips. Staff at SP Filling Station in Gabtoli said long-distance buses and motorcycles were again receiving fuel normally, though queues remained long.
An employee at Shahjahan Filling Station confirmed that buses were now being supplied according to demand rather than the previous 70 to 80-litre ration.
A seven-day Eid holiday begins on 17 March, with 16 March being the last working day; the government has also declared 18 March a public holiday to ease travel pressure.
According to Gazipur Industrial Police, factory holidays are being staggered between 16 and 19 March to help reduce pressure on roads, a move supported by Superintendent Amjad Hossain.
Additionally, Mozammel Haque Chowdhury noted that 500 Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation buses were arranged in Gazipur for workers, with extra buses added to Rajshahi and Bogura routes.
Waterways
At Sadarghat launch terminal, the mood is notably different, with security forces deployed and volunteers provided by port authorities offering free trolley services.
Many passengers, such as Jannatul Ferdous Neer, reported a smooth experience, noting that problems common in previous years—like porter disputes, excessive charges, and theft—had not emerged.
Other travellers, including disabled passenger Noman Ali and those heading to Madaripur and Khulna, expressed reassurance at the presence of the Coast Guard, police, and Ansar, stating that discipline had improved.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority Joint Director Muhammad Mobarak Hossain said preparations included increasing routes to 37 and deploying 172 launches.
Special launch services began on 17 March, and 200 volunteers are providing free porter services for a 12-day period. Authorities expect 8 lakh to 10 lakh passengers to travel by water this Eid.
Deck fares have been reduced by 10 per cent and fixed at Tk350, while single cabins cost Tk1,200 and double cabins Tk2,400. At present, 55 to 60 launches depart from Dhaka each day, reflecting higher pressure than last year.
Railways
At Kamalapur railway station, crowds of homebound passengers continue to swell, but tickets remain scarce both online and at counters.
While ordinary travellers queue for hours, recommendation-based allocations continue inside the station, and black-market ticket sales are flourishing on social media.
Passengers described fierce competition for seats, with some families using multiple phones simultaneously to try and secure a single online ticket. Others have been forced to rely on risky standing tickets to get home.
Facebook groups are openly advertising tickets at inflated prices, sometimes double the official fare, with reports of fraud involving mobile financial services.
Inside the station, Station Master Anwarul Islam acknowledged that staff allocations were sometimes used to accommodate requests.
Although rail authorities have increased capacity through additional coaches and five pairs of special trains, this remains below the levels of previous years.
The misery of passengers remains stark, and efforts to seek accountability from station management were unsuccessful.
Air travel
Air travel has also seen an Eid rush, pushing up fares, but journeys have remained smooth and secure. Passengers travelling to Sylhet noted that boarding and security checks were well managed.
A total of 24 flights are scheduled to operate on eight domestic routes during the Eid period. Private airlines are charging as much as Tk11,800 on some routes before fares ease after peak dates.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Domestic Air Controller Soharab Hossain said passenger pressure was highest on the Sylhet and Chattogram routes.
He stated that while the number of lowest-fare tickets had been reduced, no extra charges were being imposed, and additional security measures had been taken to manage the rush.
