Eid exodus: No traffic congestion on Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway, long tailbacks at Chandra

As workers continue leaving Gazipur for their village homes ahead of Eid, traffic stayed light on much of the highway

The Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway remained largely free of congestion on Wednesday morning during the Eid holiday rush, though long lines of vehicles were seen at Chandra, the main gateway to northern districts.

As thousands of workers who live in Gazipur for their jobs continue leaving for their village homes to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, parts of the industrial belt are gradually beginning to empty out.

From Tongi to Chandana Chowrasta, and onward through Bhogra, Maona and Jaina Bazar, the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway was largely clear of traffic jams on Wednesday morning.

Only a handful of passengers were seen at bus stops, while transport workers called out from the roadside for passengers to board.

But on the other side, several-kilometre-long tailbacks formed in the Kaliakair-Chandra Trimor area, where vehicles were moving slowly.

Long queues were also seen on the road from Nabinagar to Safipur in Chandra area.

Traffic Inspector Tariqul Islam of Gazipur Metropolitan Police said: “There was no traffic jam in the morning as the number of passengers on the road is low. Moreover, a large number of law enforcers are on duty to deal with traffic jams.”

With garment factories in Gazipur staggering their Eid holidays, many factories entered the third phase of closure on Wednesday.

As a result, law enforcers believe that the number of vehicles on the highway may increase sharply due to the pressure of homebound passengers in the afternoon.

Nawzor Highway Police chief Saugatul Alam said, “Although the number of passengers on the highway is low in the morning, the number of public transport is quite high.

“Law-enforcing agencies have been working to maintain the discipline on the roads and address the traffic congestion problem. However, the number of passengers on the highway is likely to surge in the evening.”