Thousands of people left Dhaka city and its suburbs in buses, trains and launches to spend the nine-day-long Eid holidays with their families and friends at their country homes. As the exodus began, some of the shopping malls and markets in the city witnessed a huge rush of last-minute buyers. This triggered traffic congestion on roads that usually remain free on holidays.
Though some trains were running late, there was no lack of enthusiasm among people boarding the crowded compartments at the city’s main railway station at Kamalapur. They even seemed oblivious of the hardships associated with a long journey in a crowded train on a sultry day. People were also seen climbing on to the roofs of trains.
It was a familiar sight all the way from Kamalapur to Airport and Tongi stations, where most trains leaving Dhaka for Rajshahi, Chittagong and Khulna have stopovers.
Similarly, people were milling about at Gabtali and Sayeedabad bus terminals since early morning to catch their buses to get home.
The Sadarghat launch terminal, which serves southern and nearby districts, also witnessed a mad rush of people trying to board the water vessels. Some even jostled their way up to the roofs of the launches.