Holidaymakers have started heading back to their ancestral homes to spend the Eid break with their friends and families. The rush of returnees has led to heavy traffic on the roads and crowding at ports, as is evident at the Paturia launch and ferry dock in Manikganj.

Panna Lal Nandi, supervisor of the launch dock at Paturia, said the crowd had grown in size since Monday afternoon. It continued to grow into Tuesday morning. As the day progressed, there seemed to be no space left on the ferries and launches.

Most of the travellers at Paturia were coming in on local buses. From there they departed for their respective destinations by ferry or launch. But more travellers were coming in on local buses than ferries could carry.

The rush of passengers has completely filled up launches and people are taking risks by crowding onto them wherever they find space.

Khaled Newaz, deputy general manager of the BIWTC’s Aricha office, said that 15 ferries and 22 launches are carrying vehicles and passengers across the Paturia-Daulatdia route. Another five ferries and 10 launches are plying the Aricha-Kazirhat route.

“The crowd is heavy near the dock, but there is no traffic congestion. The launches are getting crowded, though. Those who cannot board launches are being redirected to ferries over the megaphone.”

To keep the dock area free of congestion, passengers were being dropped off buses about a half-kilometre away, meaning travellers had to walk the distance.

“I work at a Gazipur garment factory,” said Shohag, who was at the dock. “I came here from Nabinagar on a local vehicle.”

“It wasn’t too crowded on the road, but it’s overflowing with people here.”

Mizan, a garment worker from Savar, said, “There’s a rush of passengers from Savar and Nabinagar. I came to the dock after enduring much difficulty.”

BIWTC official AZM Abdus Salam of the Paturia office claimed that passengers were crossing the Padma without too much hassle.

“There is a rush of passengers,” he said. “That’s why some ferries are making the crossing carrying only passengers instead of taking on any vehicles.”

Police, RAB, Ansar, and other law-enforcing personnel have been deployed from Nabinagar to Paturia and Aricha to maintain order.

“We are working to ensure that all passengers who come to the dock are able to safely reach their destinations,” said Abdur Rouf Sarkar, chief of Shibaloy Police Station.