For many Dhaka families, joyrides on metro rail bring festive cheer on Eid

Wearing colourful sunglasses, little Omar Faruq set off with his parents to visit “Tiger Uncle” at the zoo. “Today I’m going to see Tiger Uncle! I heard Tiger Aunty has two cubs -- they’re just as small as me!”

Farida Kaniz, boarding the metro at Farmgate, was surprised by the crowd. “The train is packed with people of all ages, especially children and teenagers. It almost feels like a regular office day. Some are off to see relatives, others to the zoo or children's parks.”

After a one-day Eid break, metro rail service resumed on Wednesday morning. On the second day of Eid, the metro became a popular choice for festive outings, with families dressed in colourful clothes filling the trains.

Salah Akram and Munni Akhtar, residents of Diabari in Uttara North, set out at noon for Mirpur-10. Though the roads were clear and public transport fares low, their daughters -- Rinvi and Diti -- insisted on celebrating Eid with a ride on the metro. Naturally, the young “queens” of the household got their way.

Six-year-old Diti said, “Dhaka looks so beautiful from the metro. There’s no noise or dust... I love it!”

At Diabari, the final station on the Uttara North line, passengers stood in long queues for tickets, many heading to Mirpur.

Sahara Khatun, a schoolteacher, was one of them. “I’m taking my kids to the Mirpur Zoo,” she said. “We’ll get off at Mirpur-10 and take a rickshaw. The children are excited to spend their Eid with the animals.”

Why the metro? “Because it’s faster, more comfortable and hassle-free. And the air conditioning also helps beat the heat,” she said.

Her son, Samiul Haque, shared his plans with a grin. “After the zoo, we’ll go back to Diabari. In the evening, we’ll head to the children’s park at Jamai Bazar for a ride on the dragon train and merry-go-round. Then we’ll all enjoy coconut duck curry together.”

Md Sumon, owner of Smart Food Corner & Juice Bar in Jamai Bazar, was preparing for the evening rush. “Hundreds of children and teenagers will be here later,” he said. “We’ve got rides like the golden train, carousel, swing, and paddle boats -- kids love them. The queues get long quickly.”

“Our most popular dish is coconut duck curry, served hot with luchi (deep-fried flatbread) and rice bread. During Eid, we can barely keep up with the demand. We also have a wide selection of juices.”

On pricing, he said: “It’s affordable. That’s why it gets so crowded. A plate of coconut duck curry with two luchis and tomato sauce is just Tk 254.”

Hasib Uddin Ahmed, a government officer travelling with his family, called the outing their “Eid trip”.

“There aren’t many great places to visit in Dhaka, and most parks aren’t well-maintained. So I thought we’d take a metro ride to Motijheel, have lunch at Star Hotel, and return by train,” he said.

“Once we boarded, I saw the entire train was full of families -- hardly any solo passengers. Look how happy the kids are! This is what real Eid happiness looks like. That’s why I’m calling it an Eid trop.”

Their day wasn’t over yet -- they planned to end it with a family dinner at an Italian restaurant near Hasib's in-laws’ house in Jamai Bazar.

“The food’s hot, delicious and reasonably priced,” Hasib said with a smile.