Thousands of people thronged bus, train and launch terminals across the capital on Wednesday as the Eid-ul-Fitr exodus reached its peak, with holidaymakers heading to their ancestral homes to celebrate the festival with their near and dear ones.

On the second day of the weeklong holiday, journeys were disrupted by traffic congestion on several major highways and delays on northern train routes following the derailment of a train in Bogura.

Many bus passengers alleged that they had to pay extra fares to purchase tickets.

Trains and launches were overcrowded, with many passengers seen travelling on train rooftops.

In Bogura, at least 66 passengers, mostly rooftop travellers, were injured after nine coaches of the Nilsagar Express on the Dhaka–Chilahati route derailed on Wednesday afternoon.

At the Sadarghat river terminal in Dhaka, one was killed and two others were injured while boarding a launch from a trawler. Two more people remained missing after another launch collided with the vessel.

A heavy rush at ferry terminals continued throughout the day, while passengers on the Aricha–Kazirhat route suffered due to a shortage of ferries. Ferry services on the Aricha–Kazirhat and Paturia–Daulatdia routes remained suspended for about an hour from 9:00pm due to a storm.

Many passengers, particularly on northern routes, were seen travelling illegally in goods-laden trucks and pickup vans at lower fares, risking their lives.

Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest religious festivals for Muslims, is expected to be celebrated on March 20 or March 21, subject to moon sighting. The government has declared a weeklong holiday from March 17 to March 23.

From early morning, large crowds gathered at the capital’s bus, train and launch terminals. Vehicular movement on major highways remained largely congestion-free in the morning, but traffic pressure increased in the afternoon.

Severe congestion was reported between Abdullahpur and Gazipur on the Dhaka–Mymensingh Highway, particularly at Konabari, Boardbazar, Kabirpur, Chandra and Kaliakoir. Traffic jams were also seen at Baipail near Ashulia on the outskirts of the capital.

Gridlock was reported in Jatrabari, a key gateway to the Dhaka–Chattogram, Dhaka–Mawa, Dhaka–Sylhet and Dhaka–Narayanganj highways. Congestion later spread to the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway and the Dolaipar and Postagola areas in the capital. Passengers and transport workers were seen stranded in vehicles on these roads.

On northern routes, many passengers were seen travelling in trucks and pickup vans despite the risks.

New Age correspondent in Tangail reported that vehicles were moving slowly on the Dhaka–Tangail–Jamuna Bridge highway in the afternoon, though no major traffic jam was reported.

At Kamalapur Railway Station, the heaviest crowd was seen on trains bound for northern districts. Hundreds of passengers crowded launches at Sadarghat, especially on southern routes.

Officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority said that many garment workers began leaving Dhaka in the morning as their Eid holidays commenced.

At the Sayedabad and Gabtali bus terminals, crowds were heavy in the morning, eased around noon, and increased again in the evening. Several passengers alleged they were forced to pay extra fares on different routes.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh alleged that bus operators were collecting approximately Tk 148 crore in extra fares during the Eid travel period. The organisation claimed that about 87 per cent of bus passengers were paying an average of Tk 350 extra for tickets.

New Age correspondent in Manikganj reported that limited speedboat services on the Aricha–Kazirhat route due to a fuel shortage had caused inconvenience to passengers.

Meanwhile, vehicular movement on the Dhaka–Mawa Expressway remained smooth throughout the day, according to a correspondent in Munshiganj.

While visiting the Gabtali inter-district bus terminal on Wednesday morning, road transport, bridges, railways and shipping minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam said that passengers were travelling comfortably.