Following the conclusion of Eid celebrations, residents are returning to the capital as work routines resume, causing increased traffic at the city’s entry points, bus terminals, and railway stations.
Since Monday morning, Kamalapur Railway Station has been bustling with passengers arriving from across the country. Families and individual travellers alike carried luggage and Eid shopping, reflecting the end of the festive break.
A traveller returning from Cox’s Bazar with his family said, “My office reopens tomorrow, so I came back a day early. The crowd was manageable, and I could avoid long waits.”
Similar scenes were observed at Dhaka’s bus terminals, where intercity buses arrived in succession, dropping passengers who immediately headed to their destinations. Shfiqul Alam, an employee of a private company, said, “Eid was enjoyable in the village, but work waits for no one. I had to return.”
Interestingly, the movement is twofold, while many return to Dhaka, some residents who could not take leave during Eid are now traveling to rural areas to spend time with family, creating a dual flow of commuters.
Transport officials noted that this post-Eid return is comparatively smoother than the pre-Eid rush, with travelers choosing convenient departure times. However, some trains have faced delays of one to two hours, causing temporary inconvenience.
River transport terminals have also seen an increase in passengers arriving in Dhaka from southern districts, though authorities caution that congestion may rise during peak hours.
Officials expect the highest volume of returning commuters today and tomorrow as government offices reopen on 24 March.
As the festive mood fades, the capital is gradually returning to its usual bustling pace, with the steady flow of travelers marking the new post-Eid normal.
