Commuters enjoy deserted streets as Dhaka is yet to get back its usual traffic rush

Amirul Islam, a private firm executive, reached Dhaka’s Gulshan from Mohammadpur only in 10 minutes by car on Monday.

“It takes two to one and a half hours otherwise. The comfort of living in Dhaka would have been different had the city been always deserted like this,” he told bdnews24.com.
 
Many joining offices after the Eid holidays on Monday said they found Dhaka roads mostly free.
 
bdnews24.com Senior Correspondent Sumon Mahbub needed only 15 minutes to arrive at his office at Mohakhali from Uttara on motorbike, though he normally spends at least an hour on the same journey.
 
He said he did not need to wait for long at traffic signals at Airport, Banani, Kakoli and Amtali Intersection on Monday.
 
Not only Mohakhali-Airport Road but almost all busy thoroughfares were free of congestion as well. 
 
Vehicles did not need to stop at any traffic signal at Mirpur Road, Bijoy Sarani, Farmgate, Bangla Motor, Shahbagh and Motijheel.
 

Roads in Banashree, Rampura, Madhyabadda, Gulshan, Mohakhali, Pallabi and Nilkhet were also deserted.

A large number of people living in Dhaka go to their native homes to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr. Most of them are yet to get back to work.

A bus commuter, Shafiqur Rahman, told bdnews24.com: “People will be able to enjoy this sort of comfortable journey only for some more days.” 

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Commissioner (Media) Md Muntasirul Islam said the traffic congestions that police usually dealt with were yet to make a comeback.

During visits, the bdnews24.com correspondent found most of the shops and other businesses had shuttered. 

However, there was a bit of rush at bus, launch and train termini and entertainment hubs.

At Kamalapur Railway Station, outbound passengers seemed to have outnumbered those returning to Dhaka.

Many were found to be waiting for trains to Mymensingh, Gazipur, Kishoreganj, Bhairab, Comilla, Noakhali and Chittagong.

Zahid Hossain, an employee at a CNG station who was going to his country home in Mymensingh, told bdnews24.com: “I didn’t get leave (during Eid). Now I’ve got a six-day leave. That’s why I’m going home.”

A Noakhali-bound passenger, ‘Joynal’ said he and his children could not travel to their village home before the Eid due to heavy rush of people.

Kamalapur Station Master Nripen Saha told bdnews24.com the number of inbound passengers was fewer than outgoing travellers.

He said trains were running on schedule.

Rush of inbound passengers was low at Sadarghat launch terminal too.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority Inspector at Sadarghat Md Solaiman said people were yet to return in a big numbers.

He said 55 water vessels arrived at Sadarghat from different areas on Monday until noon.