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Published : 26 May 2026, 12:11 PM
On Monday, 15 people died when a freight truck that was also transporting homebound Eid-ul-Azha travellers overturned on the road.
This has not dissuaded other Eid travellers from taking on the risk of taking trucks and pickup trucks to reach their families on the holiday.
On Tuesday, many homebound travellers in Gazipur chose to try their fate on these unsafe vehicles as buses on the Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways were unable to meet the demand for seats.
Legally and in terms of road safety, trucks and all other types of freight vehicles are completely barred from transporting passengers on highways.
The government, however, has been unable to stop the common practice during the Eid holidays.
Mohammad Saogat Alam, officer in charge of the Naozor Highway Police Outpost, said: “There is a lot of traffic on the roads, but people are still not able to find enough seats (on buses) and are getting on board trucks and pickups.
“Carrying passengers on freight vehicles in this manner and violating the law is very risky and causes accidents. We take action whenever we see it, but we can’t stop it.”
There was heavy traffic on the Tangail-Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway, intermittent traffic jams, and long tailbacks in various areas, including Gazipur’s Chandana intersection, Vogra Bypass Road, and Chandra.
Many buses are running, but the number of passengers far outstrips the seats available. Many have complained about excess fares being charged.
Abdus Salam Mia and his family have departed for Sirajganj in a truck.
He said, “Me, my wife and two sons have been waiting for a bus for about an hour and a half in the Bhogra Bypass Peyara Bagan area of Gazipur city, but there are no seats available. The bus fare is also very high. So, now, I am forced to take everyone to our village home by truck.”
Garment worker Sumana is also headed home by truck after she failed to get a train or bus ticket. She said, “Even if I have to suffer to do it, I won’t regret it if I can get home. There is no greater joy than celebrating Eid with my family.”
Lablu Mia was headed from Chandra to Phulpur with his wife, two sons, and one daughter. He says, “I couldn’t get seats for everyone on any bus, and the bus fare is very high. So, now, I am taking everyone to our village home by pickup truck.”
Truck driver Robin has travelled from Rangpur to Narsingdi with cattle. He has picked up several passengers for the return trip. He said, “I dropped the cattle of at night. In the morning, I came to Gazipur’s Vogra Bypass Road and saw a crowd of people heading home. So now I am taking passengers by truck. People are able to get home and I can make a bit of money.”
Rain Causes Misery, Snarls Traffic
Rain has added to the difficulties of homebound Eid travellers.
Many ended up soaked in the torrential rain on Monday midnight. More rain early on Tuesday morning drenched clothes and damaged cash, mobiles, and other goods and belongings.
Women, children and the elderly suffered even more.
The rush of additional vehicles and a road accident on a bridge on the Dhaka-Tangail Highway in Gazipur’s Kodda in the wee hours of Tuesday morning snarled traffic on the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways.
Its impact could be seen on the movement of traffic for several hours.
The stop-and-start nature of the traffic has led to long tailbacks. Vehicles are moving slowly along a few kilometres on the highway from Chandra. In some places the traffic is proceeding at a snail’s pace.
"There is a lot of traffic on the road, but no vehicles are at a stop. We are trying to make the Eid journey smooth," said SM Ashraful Alam, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Traffic Department.
