As Eid-ul-Azha draws near, Dhaka is already beginning to empty out. Thousands are leaving the capital in a steady stream, heading to villages across the country to celebrate the festival with their families. But alongside the festive anticipation, a familiar concern is resurfacing-whether the country's roads and highways are prepared to handle the Eid rush safely.
Passenger pressure has surged at bus terminals, railway stations and launch ghats. At Gabtoli, Sayedabad and Mohakhali bus terminals, buses were seen carrying passengers beyond their approved capacity, with many travellers forced to stand or sit precariously near doors. In some cases, people were even found travelling in trucks, pickups and covered vans due to a shortage of tickets.
Transport operators and safety analysts warn that the combination of overloading, unfit vehicles, exhausted drivers and weak highway discipline continues to make Eid travel one of the most dangerous periods on the road calendar.
Passengers fear chaos amid excessive pressure, poor management and lack of awareness
Transport workers say the pressure on highways multiplies in the days immediately before Eid. Drivers and helpers often work extended hours without adequate rest, leading to fatigue, drowsiness and loss of control-factors frequently linked to fatal crashes. Overspeeding and reckless driving at night further compound the risk.
Previous Eid holidays have repeatedly been marred by deadly road and rail accidents, many caused by speeding vehicles, poor traffic management and unsafe driving practices-tragedies that still linger in public memory.
Road safety experts point out that many highways still lack proper lane discipline and monitoring systems. Ongoing construction work without adequate signage, the presence of illegal three-wheelers, reckless motorcycles and random passenger boarding along highways all contribute to an already fragile system under seasonal stress.
Passengers say commercial pressure is worsening the situation. Aminul and Karim, two travellers leaving Dhaka, alleged that transport owners prioritise profit over safety during Eid.
"Drivers are exhausted, but they are still being forced to make extra trips," Aminul said. "That increases the chances of human error and accidents."
Law enforcement agencies say additional highway patrols, police units and mobile courts have been deployed to improve safety and traffic management. Drives against unfit vehicles are also underway in different parts of the country.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel have also been deployed in key areas of Dhaka and surrounding districts, including Nabinagar and Baipail in Savar, Gazipur City Corporation and Gazipur Chowrasta, as well as around the Elevated Expressway and New Market area. Their deployment will continue from seven days before Eid until three days after the festival, assisting traffic control and mobile court operations.
Despite these measures, experts warn that enforcement alone will not be enough unless drivers, transport owners and passengers also change their behaviour.
Transport analysts recommend urgent steps including strict enforcement of driver working hours, removal of unfit vehicles, improved lane management and tighter control on overspeeding and risky motorcycle travel.
They also stress that Eid travel has become more than a seasonal movement-it is now a recurring test of national transport discipline and coordination. Yet the repetition of accidents each year suggests that temporary measures have failed to deliver lasting safety improvements.
Ultimately, they say, ensuring safe Eid journeys requires collective responsibility. Without discipline, awareness and sustained enforcement, the annual homebound rush risks turning celebration into tragedy on the highways.
