More traffic on Dhaka roads as Eid holiday ends

After an extended Eid break, workplaces reopened on Sunday in Dhaka. Though there was more traffic on the capital’s roads, the familiar congestion that plagues the city had yet to form.

Ahsan Habib, an official at a government bank, said that it took him a half hour to travel from Mohammadpur to his workplace in Motijheel on Sunday compared to his usual hour-long commute.

He said that several schools and colleges in the Mahmudpur area were closed, which meant that the roads were largely clear.

Though there was more traffic on the road from Farmgate, through Asadgate, College Gate and Shyamoni, the usual congestion was absent. Vehicles did not have to wait too long for traffic signals to change. Much of this is likely due to schools and other educational institutions still being closed.

Yasin, a driver for a Shadhin Paribahan bus on the Mirpur-Mawa route, said “It was getting into Dhaka that was difficult – it took a long time. There was congestion at Gulistan too. But, after that, the way to Mirpur was largely clear.”

Afrin Sultana commuted from her home in Agargaon to her workplace in Gulshan in the morning.

“There was a bit of congestion at Mohakhali,” she said. “There was quite a bit of traffic on the road from Mohakhali to Gulshan too, but you couldn’t call it a traffic jam.”

Md Shakil, who drives a hired taxi, said: “I came from Gulshan to Farmgate. There isn’t the usual traffic congestion you see on other days, but vehicles are still moving very slowly.”