The home-bound rush for Eid-ul-Fitr began Monday afternoon, bringing a surge of travelers from the capital to 23 southwestern districts. Despite the heavy influx of vehicles on the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway, traffic remains disciplined and free of congestion at the Padma Bridge toll plazas.
To manage the holiday pressure, authorities activated 19 toll booths—10 at the Mawa end and 9 at the Jajira end—including dedicated temporary booths for motorcycles.
In just 10 hours on Tuesday (March 17), from midnight to 10:00 AM, 12,152 vehicles crossed the Mawa end, generating Tk 1.13 crore in tolls. On the preceding day, Monday, a total of 28,623 vehicles crossed the bridge (17,186 via Mawa and 11,437 via Jajira), with total revenue reaching Tk 33.77 million.
Abu Sayad Niloy, Executive Engineer of the Padma Bridge Site Office, noted that this marks the highest toll collection in the five days leading up to Eid. "While traffic has increased significantly, the staged crossing system is ensuring travelers move quickly without long queues," he said.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam visited the Louhajang area on Monday evening to oversee field-level preparations. Expressing satisfaction with the traffic management, the Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to a safe and comfortable journey for citizens.
To ensure security, Munshiganj Superintendent of Police Md. Menhazul Alam confirmed that over 500 police personnel have been deployed at key points along the Dhaka-Mawa and Dhaka-Chittagong highways. ATM Mahmudul Haque, OC of Hansara Highway Police Station, added that vehicles are maintaining order, and no major disruptions have been reported as of Tuesday morning.
