United News of Bangladesh

Government offices, banks, and financial institutions across the country will reopen on Sunday (June 15) after a 10-day holiday marking Eid-ul-Azha. Muslims in Bangladesh celebrated Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival, on June 7. The last working day for government employees was June 4, with the holiday running from June 5 to 14. Home Ministry ready to tackle election-time challenges: Adviser The government initially announced a six-day holiday from June 5 to 10. Later, June 11 and 12 (Wednesday and Thursday) were also declared holidays through an executive order, bringing the total to ten consecutive days off for public sector employees. Although many holidaymakers have already started returning to the capital, Dhaka is yet to regain its usual hustle and bustle.

With the Eid holidays nearing their end and offices set to reopen on Sunday, people from 21 south-western districts of the country have begun returning to their workplaces. Since Friday morning, thousands have been gathering at the Daulatdia and Paturia terminals in Rajbari and Manikganj, crossing the Padma River by ferry and launch. A visit to Daulatdia launch terminal on Friday morning revealed a heavy rush of Dhaka-bound passengers. Each launch was being filled to capacity within just three to four minutes before setting off for Paturia. Mehedi Hasan, a garment worker from Baliakandi in Rajbari, was seen struggling through the crowd—lugging his suitcase in one hand while tightly holding his wife’s hand with the other. Speaking to UNB, Mehedi said he works at a garment factory in Hemayetpur, Dhaka, and his wife is employed at the same facility. “We arrived at the terminal by CNG auto-rickshaw. The roads weren’t congested, but the crowd here is overwhelming,” he said. Eid holidaymakers returning to Dhaka on packed ferries “Our factory reopens on Saturday, so we left home early. I’m holding my wife’s hand tightly so we don’t get separated in the crowd, even if it’s difficult with the luggage,” he added. Mim Akhter, another garment worker from Kalukhali, said she works at a factory in Savar. Having spent Eid with her family, she too was returning to her workplace. “My factory also resumes operations on Saturday. That’s why I’m travelling today, accompanied by my nephew,” she said. Throughout Friday morning, long queues of passengers could be seen lining up along wooden bridges leading to the pontoons. Ticket handlers were distributing river-crossing tickets before passengers reached the pontoons. Launches docked at the terminal were departing one after another within moments of being filled. Ansar members, police, fire service personnel, and BIWTA officials were also present to help manage the crowd. Crowds Gather at Paturia Too The same scenario was observed at the Paturia terminal in Manikganj. While the crowd appeared heavier at Daulatdia as travellers gathered to board, at Paturia most passengers were quickly leaving the terminal for their destinations. Travellers were arriving at Paturia by bus, private car, microbus, and motorcycle after crossing from Daulatdia by ferry. Among them, motorcyclists appeared to be the most numerous. Vehicles were seen leaving the ferry immediately upon docking, while the launch terminal continued to witness significant footfall. Several bus services from Paturia to Dhaka and nearby districts were operating smoothly, with terminals experiencing a noticeable rush. Passengers said they were crossing without facing trouble, and that both roads and ferry services were running without disruption. Heavy rush of post-Eid returnees at Bhola launch terminals The Aricha-Kazirhat water route also saw increased passenger numbers. Many travellers were arriving at Aricha terminal from Kazirhat in Pabna using ferries, launches, and speedboats. Masud Hossain, a police officer stationed at the Daulatdia River Police Outpost, said, “There wasn’t much of a crowd on Thursday. But from around 9am Friday, the number of passengers began to rise sharply.” “As many factories and offices reopen on Saturday after the Eid break, people have started returning today. We are struggling to manage the passenger flow,” he said. Shimul Hossain, terminal supervisor of the BIWTA Aricha office, said, “To ensure smooth river crossing, 20 launches of varying sizes have been prepared on the Daulatdia-Paturia route. Currently, 18 launches are in operation, with two more on standby in case the number of passengers increases.”

With offices set to open after long Eid holidays on Sunday people from 21 districts in the country’s southwestern region have begun returning to Dhaka on packed ferries through the Paturia ferry terminal in Manikganj. A heavy rush of passengers boarding ferries and launches were seen at Paturia ferry terminal on Friday morning. Hundreds of familied were arriving at Paturia from Rajbari’s Daulatdia terminal using buses, private cars, microbuses, and motorcycles. Paturia ferry terminal sees increased traffic amid Eid rush The launch terminal has also witnessed an increased passenger surge. However, despite the crowd, travellers reported no suffering or delays, saying that their journey was safe and hassle-free. Currently, 15 ferries and 18 launches are operating on the Paturia–Daulatdia route to carry to the Eid returnees. Meanwhile, passenger pressure has also increased on the Aricha–Kazirhat route. Travellers are reaching Aricha terminal via ferries, launches, and speedboats from Kazirhat in Pabna.    

A 10-day Eid-ul-Azha holiday will begin on Thursday with thousands already left the capital to celebrate the festival with their families at their village homes. Although the holiday officially starts 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. The rush is expected to peak on Thursday. 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. Home adviser warns against overcharging Eid travellers 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. Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the overall preparations including security arrangements ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha. Talking to reporters after visiting the sacrificial cattle market adjacent to Maitri Sangha Club in the capital’s North Shahjahanpur area, he said a large number of Ansar members have been deployed in every cattle market this year to ensure security. He warned that the government will take legal action if any transport operator charges extra fares or carries passengers beyond capacity during Eid journeys. Rush at banks on last working day before Eid-ul-Azha holiday Besides, a control room has been opened on behalf of the leaseholders alongside police at the cattle markets, he said. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Sunday warned the leaseholders of the capital’s makeshift cattle markets (haats) not to collect any fees other than the government-fixed charges during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. Besides, he said, no vehicle carrying sacrificial animals from different regions of the country can be forcibly diverted into specific markets and cattle markets must remain within the designated boundaries set by the city corporations.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) on Monday announced that the stock market will remain open for normal trading on two upcoming Saturdays—17 May and 24 May—prior to the Eid-ul-Azha holidays. Despite Saturdays being regular weekly holidays, this move comes in light of the extended break for Eid. According to the DSE, the stock market will observe a 10-day closure from 5 June to 14 June, aligning with the government-declared public holidays and the usual weekend closures. The government has declared 11 and 12 June as official holidays, while 13 and 14 June fall on Friday and Saturday, respectively, which are already non-working days. In a related development, the Department of Off-site Supervision (DOS) of Bangladesh Bank has directed that all scheduled banks across the country will also remain open on the same two Saturdays—17 May and 24 May—as the stock market. DSE announces new trading hours for Ramadan While banks and the stock market will remain closed on 11 and 12 June in accordance with the government declaration, Bangladesh Bank has clarified that bank branches, sub-branches, and booths located in port and customs areas, including sea, land and airports, will remain operational 24/7 throughout the week, except on Eid day itself. This ensures uninterrupted banking services in vital economic zones during the holiday period. The extended holiday and adjusted working days are aimed at facilitating both investors and financial institutions while accommodating the religious and cultural significance of Eid-ul-Azha. DSE opens lower, CSE sees early gains

Some 10.7 million mobile users left Dhaka during the extended nine-day public holiday for Eid ul-Fitr, spanning from March 28 to April 3. This information, based on data from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), covers users of four major telecom operators—Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink and Teletalk. Faiz Ahmad Tayyab, special assistant to the chief adviser shared this data on his Facebook account. According to his post, during the holiday period, 10.7 million mobile users left Dhaka, while 4.4 million users entered the city. Due to the lack of precise data on how many individuals left Dhaka for other destinations, this estimate is based on the number of mobile users. Children and individuals who do not use mobile phones are excluded from this calculation, while those who use multiple SIM cards are included. The highest number of people left Dhaka on March 30, the day before Eid, with 2.39 million mobile users recorded as departing the capital. Between March 28 and 31, 7.75 million mobile users left Dhaka. Eid holiday ends; holidaymakers continue returning to workplaces  After Eid, a significant number of people continued to leave the city, with 2.99 million mobile users recorded as leaving Dhaka between April 1 and 3. As government offices, courts, and banks reopened on Sunday, April 6, many of those who had returned to their hometowns began returning to Dhaka. By this point, 4.44 million mobile users had reentered the capital, with a peak of 998,579 users returning last Friday. This data gives a clear indication of the massive movement of people within the country during the Eid festivities, highlighting the widespread migration to and from Dhaka during the holiday season.

Banks, insurance companies, non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs), and stock markets across the country will reopen on Sunday following the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday. As per the Bangladesh Bank's directive, banking hours will be from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm from Sunday to Thursday as per pre-Ramadan schedule. Eid holiday ends; holidaymakers continue returning to workplaces  Meanwhile, office hours for insurance companies and NBFIs will be from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on working days. Trading on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) will take place between 10 am and 2:30 pm, followed by a 10-minute post-closing session.

The nine-day Eid holiday officially ends on Saturday though many holidaymakers returned to their workplaces a day or two earlier to avoid the crowds. On Friday, some bus stations in the capital including Gabtoli, Kalyanpur, Mohakhali, Sayedabad, Jatrabari, Kamalapur Railway Station, and Sadarghat Launch Terminal saw a moderate rush of people heading towards Dhaka. To avoid the last-minute rush and hassle, several chose to return before the holiday officially ended. Jubayer, a private-sector employee returning to Dhaka by bus from Feni with his family on Friday morning, said "I returned a day earlier as the last day would be crowded. There was no traffic gridlock on Dhaka-Chattogtram highway and the journey was comfortable." Transport owners said long holiday allowed people to travel with relatively less hassle both while going to and returning from the villages. Severe heat wave may hit Bangladesh this month: Met office On Saturday, the final day of the holiday, passenger pressure on roads and public transport could be higher than usual, they said. Although many have started returning to Dhaka the capital’s roads remain relatively empty, allowing its residents enjoy the congestion-free atmosphere. Public transport is also seeing fewer passengers than usual. However, personal cars, rickshaws, and motorcycles were seen around recreational spots and open spaces in the capital. Some residents, enjoying the holiday and lack of traffic, were seen touring different parts of the city. Motiur Rahman, a resident of Malibagh area who went out on Friday afternoon with his family in a private car, said, "I celebrated Eid in Dhaka. We are touring Dhaka to enjoy the holiday. If Dhaka were always this empty, people wouldn't feel so overwhelmed." The government had earlier approved a nine-day holiday for its employees—from 28 March to 5 April—to facilitate Eid celebrations. The homebound rush began on 26 March, with the country celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the most significant religious festivals for Muslims, on 31 March.

Khagrachhari is expected to witness a massive influx of tourists during the nine-day Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. Tourism entrepreneurs are hopeful about making good business with the surge in tourists. Uttam Kumar Majumder, manager of the Khagrachhari Tourism Motel, said, "A huge number of tourists will visit Khagrachhari during Eid this time. Most of the hotels and motels in the city have already been booked. We hope that if everything remains normal, business will be good during this Eid holidays." Dr Yunus offers Eid prayers at National Eidgah Industry insiders estimate that between 100,000 and 150,000 tourists will travel to Khagrachhari and Sajek during the nine days Eid vacation. Popular attractions such as the mysterious Alutila tunnel, the hanging bridge, Tareng, and the Richang waterfall are set to be bustling with visitors, much like previous years. Hotel and motel businesses are anticipating a significant rise in customers during the Eid season. To ensure the safety of tourists, dedicated tourist police will be deployed at all major attractions. As seen in previous years, tourism businesses are optimistic about an overwhelming number of visitors flocking to Khagrachhari during the Eid holidays. Nature enthusiasts and travel lovers are expected to head to the hills to explore the region’s mountains, forests, and waterfalls. While the district attracts tourists throughout the year, stakeholders believe the number will multiply several times during the Eid break. The district’s tourist spots are fully prepared to welcome visitors, with additional security measures already in place at key locations like Alutila. Zahidul Karim, Zone In-Charge of the Khagrachhari District Tourist Police, said, "The district tourist police are working to ensure the safety of incoming tourists. For additional security, our mobile team will conduct regular patrols in the tourist spots. Security has already been strengthened at all locations." Eid being celebrated in Barishal with solemnity, festivity With full preparations in place, Khagrachhari is gearing up for a vibrant and bustling tourism season this Eid.

The Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) on Friday called for heightened security measures during the extended Eid holidays to protect jewellery businesses from increasing thefts and robberies. At a press conference held at its New Eskaton Road office, BAJUS Vice President Riponul Hasan said there are a total of 40,000 jewellery establishments in the country. But, the recent surge in thefts and robberies targeting these businesses has created a serious sense of insecurity among jewellers. Ripon revealed that between January and 26 March, a total of 23 jewellery shops across the country have been robbed of or burgled, with Dhaka witnessing the highest number of incidents at 11. Other affected districts include Munshiganj, Sylhet, Cumilla, Khulna, and Habiganj. Jewellery shops see Eid sales decline amid soaring gold prices Given the current situation, jewellers fear that the risks may increase during the Eid holidays. Speaking at the press conference, victimised businessman M A Hannan Azad, proprietor of the jewellery shop Alankar, shared his terrifying experience. He said, "At around 5 am on 26 March, a group of 25-30 men attacked my house. They specifically targeted me. The way they broke through the gate and entered within just five to ten minutes suggests they were well-trained robbers. They even attempted to abduct me. After such an incident, it is only natural that we feel unsafe." BAJUS Acting President Gulzar Ahmed urged jewellers to take personal and institutional measures alongside government-provided security. He recommended installing CCTV cameras, increasing the number of security guards, and collaborating with market owners’ associations to determine how best to ensure enhanced security for jewellery establishments during the Eid holidays. Gold price increases by Tk 2,613 per bhori in Bangladesh BAJUS further demanded armed security personnel to guard jewellery shops and called for swift trials of those involved in thefts and robberies. The association warned that if the security situation does not improve, they will decide their next course of action after 15 April.