Dhaka, Bangladesh - Millions of people were leaving Bangladeshi capital to celebrate the Muslim Eid-al-Fitr and Hindu Durga Puja festivals in hometowns across the country during a 10-day holiday, officials said Saturday. An estimated 5 million of Dhaka's nearly 12 million population will leave the city for their ancestral homes to meet with relatives starting Friday, media reports said quoting mass-transport owners.
"Going back home during festivals has cultural, economic and political implications. It strengthens social ties as getting together at this time bridges the gap between the rich and poor; rural and urban," Bengali language Amar Desh newspaper quoted Quamrul Ahsan Chowdhury, a social scientist at Dhaka University, as saying.
Thousands of passengers, risking their lives, have been riding on the roofs of trains, buses and water vessels as the public transport system is still in impoverished condition.
"I could not manage any ticket, but need to go home at any cost," said a desperate Rafiqul Islam as he climbed to the crowded roof of a long-distance bus at Gabtoli bus terminal.
Eid al-Fitr falls on September 21 and Durga Puja on September 28.