Passenger Shortage Leaves Gazipur Highways Unusually Calm

A day before Eid, major highways in Gazipur saw light traffic, but transport operators faced a shortage of passengers, leaving many buses idle.

On Friday morning, some vulnerable passengers, including pregnant women, were seen waiting along highways for transport. However, vehicles moved smoothly on both the Dhaka–Mymensingh and Dhaka–Tangail highways.

Around 7:00am, long lines of buses were parked along the roadside at Chandana intersection on the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway and in the Bhogra Peyara Bagan area on the Dhaka–Tangail route. Irregular parking and passenger pick-up at random points caused brief congestion in some areas.

By 9:00am, traffic pressure eased, and vehicle movement returned to normal.

Naojor Highway Police Inspector Md. Saugatul Alam said congestion at Chandra Trimor and nearby areas began easing from Thursday afternoon. Since Friday morning, vehicles have been moving at normal speed, allowing passengers to travel without major delays.

Mauna Highway Police Inspector Md. Kamruzzaman said there had been heavy travel pressure until 3:00am Thursday. Since then, traffic on the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway has largely normalized. However, some crowding was observed under the Mauna flyover on Friday morning.

Gazipur Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) Amrit Sutradhar said the rush of Eid travellers peaked on Thursday evening. Since then, traffic volume has dropped below normal levels. Passengers travelling on Friday morning did not face significant difficulties.

At Chandra Trimor—often considered the gateway to northern Bangladesh—traffic was unusually light. The typical congestion and noise from transport workers were largely absent. Many buses remained parked due to a lack of passengers.

A similar situation was observed at Bhogra Bypass and Chandana intersections. Although some buses were available, operators delayed departures due to low passenger numbers.

Only a small number of travellers left Dhaka on Friday, mostly those who could not travel earlier due to work or personal commitments.

Abdul Hamid, a businessman travelling to Rangpur, said he had sent his family ahead earlier in the week and was travelling alone on Friday. He expected a smooth journey due to the absence of traffic congestion.

Bachchu Mia, an official at a Shyamoli transport counter in Bhogra, said there had been heavy passenger demand in recent days, but Friday saw a sharp decline. “Buses are available, but there are very few passengers. Many cannot leave on time due to low occupancy,” he said.