With the Eid holidays nearing their end and offices set to reopen on Sunday, people from 21 south-western districts of the country have begun returning to their workplaces.
Since Friday morning, thousands have been gathering at the Daulatdia and Paturia terminals in Rajbari and Manikganj, crossing the Padma River by ferry and launch.
A visit to Daulatdia launch terminal on Friday morning revealed a heavy rush of Dhaka-bound passengers.
Each launch was being filled to capacity within just three to four minutes before setting off for Paturia.
Mehedi Hasan, a garment worker from Baliakandi in Rajbari, was seen struggling through the crowd—lugging his suitcase in one hand while tightly holding his wife’s hand with the other.
Speaking to UNB, Mehedi said he works at a garment factory in Hemayetpur, Dhaka, and his wife is employed at the same facility.
“We arrived at the terminal by CNG auto-rickshaw. The roads weren’t congested, but the crowd here is overwhelming,” he said.
Eid holidaymakers returning to Dhaka on packed ferries
“Our factory reopens on Saturday, so we left home early. I’m holding my wife’s hand tightly so we don’t get separated in the crowd, even if it’s difficult with the luggage,” he added.
Mim Akhter, another garment worker from Kalukhali, said she works at a factory in Savar.
Having spent Eid with her family, she too was returning to her workplace. “My factory also resumes operations on Saturday. That’s why I’m travelling today, accompanied by my nephew,” she said.
Throughout Friday morning, long queues of passengers could be seen lining up along wooden bridges leading to the pontoons.
Ticket handlers were distributing river-crossing tickets before passengers reached the pontoons. Launches docked at the terminal were departing one after another within moments of being filled.
Ansar members, police, fire service personnel, and BIWTA officials were also present to help manage the crowd.
Crowds Gather at Paturia Too
The same scenario was observed at the Paturia terminal in Manikganj. While the crowd appeared heavier at Daulatdia as travellers gathered to board, at Paturia most passengers were quickly leaving the terminal for their destinations.
Travellers were arriving at Paturia by bus, private car, microbus, and motorcycle after crossing from Daulatdia by ferry. Among them, motorcyclists appeared to be the most numerous.
Vehicles were seen leaving the ferry immediately upon docking, while the launch terminal continued to witness significant footfall.
Several bus services from Paturia to Dhaka and nearby districts were operating smoothly, with terminals experiencing a noticeable rush.
Passengers said they were crossing without facing trouble, and that both roads and ferry services were running without disruption.
Heavy rush of post-Eid returnees at Bhola launch terminals
The Aricha-Kazirhat water route also saw increased passenger numbers. Many travellers were arriving at Aricha terminal from Kazirhat in Pabna using ferries, launches, and speedboats.
Masud Hossain, a police officer stationed at the Daulatdia River Police Outpost, said, “There wasn’t much of a crowd on Thursday. But from around 9am Friday, the number of passengers began to rise sharply.”
“As many factories and offices reopen on Saturday after the Eid break, people have started returning today. We are struggling to manage the passenger flow,” he said.
Shimul Hossain, terminal supervisor of the BIWTA Aricha office, said, “To ensure smooth river crossing, 20 launches of varying sizes have been prepared on the Daulatdia-Paturia route. Currently, 18 launches are in operation, with two more on standby in case the number of passengers increases.”