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Published : 25 May 2026, 03:19 PM
A massive wave of homebound holidaymakers has hit the highways in Gazipur after local garment factories began releasing workers in phases for the Eid-ul-Azha holidays.
The Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways witnessed a major spike in traffic and sluggish vehicle movement since Monday morning, with heavy downpours and waterlogging making the journey miserable in several areas.
Many workers, fearing adverse weather, had already set off for home from Sunday night, keeping both highways busy until midnight before traffic gradually eased.
Early morning travel on Monday was relatively smooth, but by around 11am gusty winds and heavy rain caused about half a kilometre of waterlogging on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway between the north side of Vogra Bypass intersection and the south of Chandana crossroads, slowing vehicles to a crawl and sending congestion spiralling.
Homebound travellers laden with bags were caught in the downpour as they rushed to be with their families for Eid.
Near Vogra’s Peyara Bagan, north Bangladesh-bound passenger buses were seen lined up on both sides of the road waiting for commuters in the morning, with bus terminals becoming increasingly crowded and busy as the day progressed.
Akhtar Hossain, a Rangpur-bound passenger, said he had sent his family members to their village home a week earlier to avoid the festive gridlock and started his own journey on Monday morning after his factory closed on Sunday.
Similarly, Md Kamruzzaman, a local garment worker living in Vogra, was seen braving the downpour before noon to help his wife and child board a Mymensingh-bound bus at the bypass intersection.
Underneath the flyover near Chowdhury Bari, waterlogging on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway disrupted regular vehicular movement, forcing many drivers to use the flyover instead, which subsequently slowed traffic on the elevated structure.
Meanwhile, a microbus broke down on the Chandana Chowrasta Flyover in the morning, stalling traffic for about half an hour before law enforcers removed the vehicle to restore normalcy.
Shafiqul Islam of Chatmohar, Pabna, said he had left early to beat the rush. "There is not much traffic yet, but after midday the crowd will get much bigger.”
Gazipur Industrial Zone Police Superintendent Md Amzad Hossain said law-enforcing agencies are working in a coordinated effort to keep Eid travel smooth.
"With factories closing in three phases, we hope the highways will not face excessive pressure," he said, adding that about 96 percent of April wages had already been paid and the remaining 4 percent would be settled by Monday.
Jalal Howlader, general secretary of the Garments and Sweater Workers Trade Union Centre's Gazipur district unit, said most factories in the district have cleared outstanding dues, adding that the staggered holiday system would allow workers to return home “comfortably”.
Saugatul Alam, chief of the Nawjor Highway Police Station in Konabari, said officers remain active on the ground to ensure an uninterrupted Eid journey.
He warned that because many factories closed on Monday, passenger pressure would swell after midday and could persist until the day before Eid.
The police officer said measures are in place at Chandra to regulate passenger boarding, though damaged road sections in Savar’s Baipail area could slow down traffic.
"We are hoping travellers will reach their destinations without trouble, and arrangements have also been made to ensure people can return to Gazipur comfortably after Eid," he added.
