Homebound travellers trigger severe congestion on Gazipur highways amid Eid rush and rain
Continuous rain has intensified the suffering, leaving passengers from northern and Mymensingh regions stranded for hours
Homebound travellers ahead of Eid-ul-Adha have triggered severe congestion and slow-moving traffic on Gazipur's two major highways, with intermittent rainfall further worsening conditions.
Since early this morning (26 May), vehicles on key stretches of the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways have been moving at a crawl or coming to brief standstills.
Continuous rain has intensified the suffering, leaving passengers from northern and Mymensingh regions stranded for hours.
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According to sources, after partial garment factory closures yesterday, another 45% of factories declared Eid holidays today.
This led to a sudden rush of workers and labourers in areas such as Chandra in Kaliakoir and Chandana Chowrasta in Gazipur from the morning.
The sharp increase in passenger pressure, combined with a shortage of public transport, has forced commuters into long waits, with elderly people, women and children facing severe hardship.
Many, out of desperation, are travelling on bus roofs, open trucks and pickup vans despite safety risks.
Long queues have formed over kilometres from Konabari to Chandra Tri-Mor and from Chandra to Zirani Bazar on the Dhaka-Tangail highway.
On the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, slow movement and frequent standstills are reported from Tongi, Board Bazar and Bhogra bypass to Chandana Chowrasta, with several points experiencing complete halts.
A passenger, Harun-or-Rashid in Chandra, said, "A one-hour journey is now taking several hours as passengers remain stuck inside buses."
He added that rain-induced waterlogging in parts of the road has further slowed traffic.
Transport operators are reportedly charging double fares, increasing commuter hardship.
Drivers, however, say empty return trips from northern districts and heavy fuel loss in traffic justify the fares.
Highway Police, Gazipur District Police, Gazipur Metropolitan Police, APBn, BGB and mobile court teams are jointly managing traffic, with extra personnel deployed at key points.
Highway Police OC Saugatul Alam said vehicle pressure is several times higher than normal due to Eid travel, with buses, private cars, motorcycles and cattle trucks all contributing to congestion.
He added that stalled or broken-down vehicles are being cleared quickly, and efforts continue to keep traffic moving despite rain and heavy load.
