As the Eid-ul-Azha holidays draw to a close, people are making their way back to Dhaka from villages and districts across the country.

Major intercity bus terminals in the capital witnessed a steady stream of arrivals on Wednesday (June 11), with long-distance coaches bringing back passengers from Meherpur, Kushtia, Rajshahi, Bogura, Naogaon, Chuadanga, and other districts.

Buses arriving in the city were filled to capacity, while outbound vehicles left the terminals with only a handful of passengers. Transport officials said this trend will likely continue for at least another week.

“I went to the village two days before Eid to celebrate with my parents and grandparents,” said Raisul Islam, a university student returning from Meherpur. “The journey was smooth, and I’m happy to be back in Dhaka without any major traffic delays.”

Coach counters at Gabtoli, Mohakhali, and other key points in the capital were busy unloading passengers. The technical intersection in Mirpur remained a popular drop-off point, particularly for buses arriving via the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge.

Rakibul Islam, a coach supervisor of National Paribahan, said: “Buses are returning full from North Bengal. Passengers start getting off from Chandra, Jirani, and Savar before reaching the capital.”

SB Paribahan’s sales executive Kazi Soheb said all seats have been booked until June 15 for inbound services. “The real pressure started from June 10, and we expect it to continue through June 20,” he added.

Similar scenes were reported by other operators, including Hanif Transport, which said all return tickets are booked until June 17.

MA Karim, a businessman from Rajshahi, returned with his family. “I plan to reopen my office on Thursday. Business is resuming, and life in Dhaka is picking up again.”

SMS/