Passenger pressure has started to build at bus terminals in Dhaka on the last working day before Eid. In the morning, passenger numbers were relatively low, but they gradually increased as the day progressed and surged further after office hours.
A seven-day holiday has been announced for Eid-ul-Adha this year. With offices now closing, a large number of people are heading home, leading to rising crowds not only at bus terminals but also at railway stations and launch terminals.
In recent years, hiring private vehicles to avoid travel hardship has also become increasingly common, and the trend is continuing this year.
At Gabtoli bus terminal, passengers have complained of delays in bus departures and higher fares than usual. However, counter staff said fares are being charged according to the official rate chart, and in many cases Tk50 to Tk100 less is being taken.
Tanvir Ahmed, a passenger heading to Roumari in Kurigram, said he took half a day off and reached the terminal on Sunday afternoon. Speaking to TIMES of Bangladesh, he said, “I came early because the crowd may increase in the evening. I sent my wife and children home two days ago.” He also alleged extra fare charges, saying, “When I sent my family two days ago, the fare was Tk800. Today the same route is costing Tk1,000.”
Nilphamari-bound college student Imran made similar allegations. “Every Eid, higher fares are charged. This year too, an extra Tk100 is being taken. It has become a tradition,” he said.
He also complained about delays in bus arrivals. When asked at the counter, Khaleque Enterprise staff member Babul Hasan said, “The bus is stuck in traffic.”
RAB Director General Md Ahsan Habib Palash visited the terminal in the morning. He said surveillance has been strengthened at terminals, launch ghats and railway stations to ensure safe Eid travel.
He said that members in plainclothes have been deployed to prevent overcharging, ticket black marketing, mugging and passenger harassment.
At Mohakhali terminal, passenger pressure has been seen on routes to Mymensingh, Sylhet and parts of the northern region. Passengers, especially for AC buses, are facing long waiting times, with many seen standing in queues at ticket counters.
Mymensingh-bound passenger Rafiq Ahmed said, “I have got my ticket, but I am waiting a long time for the bus. Waiting with family in this intense heat is very difficult.”
Kishoreganj-bound passenger Sharmin Akter said, “I have been waiting at the terminal with my small child for a long time. No one can properly say when the bus will depart.”
Pressure rising on Padma-Jamuna bridges
Traffic across the Jamuna Bridge has nearly doubled compared to normal in the past 24 hours. Passengers from 23 northern districts travel home via this bridge from Dhaka and central regions.
From Friday midnight to Saturday midnight, 32,649 vehicles crossed the bridge. Of these, 16,753 were northbound vehicles. Toll collection stood at Tk1,49,07,150.
Meanwhile, 15,896 Dhaka-bound vehicles crossed from the western end, generating Tk1,47,62,750 in toll revenue.
Executive Engineer of the bridge site office Syed Riaz Uddin said additional booths have been added to manage pressure and speed up toll collection.
Tangail Superintendent of Police Md Shamsul Alam Sarkar said over 800 police personnel are deployed on highways.
On the Padma Bridge Mawa and Jajira points, 29,111 vehicles crossed in the past 24 hours, generating Tk3,76,36,000 in tolls including cash, credit and ETC payments.
Concerns on Dhaka–Sylhet highway
The Dhaka–Sylhet highway, one of the country’s main highways, is still a two-lane road. Alongside ongoing six-lane expansion work, potholes and the uncontrolled movement of illegal three-wheelers continue to raise concerns about traffic congestion.
Drivers fear worsening congestion at key points in Narsingdi’s 55-km stretch, including Madhabdi, Shekherchar, Panchdona, Shahpratap, Velanagar, Jelkhanar Mor, Itakhola, Morjal and Baraicha bus stands.
Six flyovers under construction along the highway are now becoming visible. Due to ongoing construction and heavy materials, traffic is moving through diversions. Drivers and passengers may face further disruption, especially at Shahpratap, Velanagar and Itakhola intersections.
Transport operators said roadside illegal shops, vegetable markets on highways, random parking and illegal three-wheeler movement are adding to suffering. They warned that without increased police monitoring, Eid travel congestion may worsen.
