As the Eid holidays draw to a close, thousands of people have started returning to Dhaka from southwestern districts through the Paturia ferry terminal since Saturday morning.
A significant crowd was seen at the terminal in Shibalaya upazila, Manikganj, as travelers lined up to cross the river. While most passengers reported a smooth journey, some raised concerns about being overcharged by transport operators.
In response, local authorities conducted mobile court drives at the terminal. Zakir Hossain, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Shibalaya, stated that two launches were fined Tk 26,000 for overcharging passengers, while two buses were penalized Tk 6,000 for carrying excess passengers.
To accommodate the high volume of returnees, terminal authorities deployed 17 ferries and 20 launches on the Paturia-Daulatdia river route, ensuring a safe and efficient journey.
A joint pre-Eid study by the National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) and the Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum (SCRF) revealed that over 17 million (1.70 crore) people left greater Dhaka ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, which was celebrated on 31 March.
The government had approved a nine-day holiday (28 March- 5 April) for its employees to facilitate Eid celebrations, leading to a homebound travel surge starting on 26 March.
Now, with the holiday period nearing its end, the return journey to the capital is in full swing.
