Chandpur-bound launches see some pressure, while Barishal, Jhalakathi, Bhola, and Barguna routes are less crowded. Ticket counters, including advance sales, show minimal queues.
Passengers crowd the jetty at Sadarghat Launch Terminal as Eid holiday travel picks up, with people seen boarding and disembarking launches, on 17 March 2026. Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS
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Passengers crowd the jetty at Sadarghat Launch Terminal as Eid holiday travel picks up, with people seen boarding and disembarking launches, on 17 March 2026. Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS
As Eid-ul-Fitr approaches, Dhaka’s transport hubs show contrasting patterns. At the main river port, Sadarghat Launch Terminal, passenger numbers are rising slowly, while Saydabad Bus Terminal remains relatively quiet.
Rows of launches are docked at Sadarghat, but most carry few passengers. Compared to Monday, traffic was seen gradually increasing today (17 March). Chandpur-bound launches see some pressure, while Barishal, Jhalakathi, Bhola, and Barguna routes are less crowded. Ticket counters, including advance sales, show minimal queues.
Operators report passenger numbers rise after the afternoon but remain low relative to available launches. Routes to Chandpur, Bhola, Char Fasson, Lalmohon, and Barguna have stable occupancy, while Barishal, Bhandaria, and Jhalakathi are quieter.
Abidul Islam, travelling to Jhalakathi with his family, arrived early to secure a preferred cabin. “Getting a ticket wasn’t very difficult today, but I came early, anticipating some crowd,” he said.
Since the June 2022 opening of the Padma Bridge, river traffic to the southern districts has declined. However, the Eid season prompts more passengers to choose launches over rising bus fares for a comfortable journey. Operators have prepared additional vessels and crews to handle the holiday influx.
Launch staff note that the continuous seven-day holiday spreads departures over time, preventing concentrated crowding. Razzak Ali of the Matlab-bound launch Al-Borak said, “It’s not as crowded as before, but numbers are picking up from today. Passenger pressure will increase over the next two days.”
Officials from Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) say improved roads have reduced river traffic: currently, only 15% of travellers use waterways, down from 35% previously. Around 170 launches operate across 38 routes.
At Saydabad Bus Terminal, roads see long traffic lines, but counters are quiet as most tickets were booked online. Shahidul Islam, manager of The Eagle Classic, said passengers are arriving at counters according to schedules.
Overall, river traffic is slowly rising ahead of Eid, while roadways remain relatively calm, creating a distinctive travel pattern for the holiday.
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