10-day Eid holiday begins today

A 10-day Eid-ul-Azha holiday started from Thursday with thousands already left the capital to celebrate the festival with their families at their village homes.

Although the holiday officially started on Thursday, the exodus began last Saturday and gained momentum on Wednesday, with transport hubs like Gabtoli bus stand, Sadarghat launch terminal, Kamalapur railway station, and other key bus terminals teeming with home-bound passengers. A visit to Kamalapur railway station on Wednesday showed thousands of people leaving the capital - some even riding train roofs, risking their lives to make it home for the festival.

To facilitate the long break, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on May 7 declaring June 11 and 12 (Wednesday and Thursday) as public holidays through executive order. To compensate for the time off, the government kept offices open on May 17 and 24 which were weekly holidays.

Government and private offices, educational institutions, banks, and other financial institutions will remain closed during the period, which includes weekends and scheduled holidays. The long holiday has triggered a rush of homebound people at bus terminals, railway stations and launch terminals in the capital.

City corporations and municipalities have taken special measures to remove the sacrificial animal waste, promising quick cleanup. The government has deployed additional law enforcement personnel on highways, railway stations, river ports and major city points to ensure the safety of travelers and manage the rush.