Homebound people are leaving the capital ahead of the five-day vacation marking Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.
Like Hindu devotees, other city dwellers are also leaving the capital from Monday afternoon to spend the long Puja vacation with their relatives at their village homes.
Crowds of travellers were seen at different bus terminals, the railway station and launch terminals across the city.
Although the two-day public holiday marking the biggest annual festival of the Hindu community begins tomorrow (Tuesday), weekly holidays on Friday and Saturday have extended the break to five days, until October 24.
A large number of people gathered at Sadarghat Launch Terminal from Monday afternoon to travel to different southern destinations, including Barishal, by launch.
"All are waiting at the village home and it is very much delighting for me to stay with the family members during the festival", said Bhuban Chandra Roy, a passenger on a Barishal-bound launch.
During visits to different bus counters, homebound passengers were seen crowding around the counters. "The onrush of the people was seen on Monday compare to other days", said Joynal, an employee at the Cumilla-bound Tisha Plus bus counter in Arambagh.
The number of homebound passengers has increased, but no additional fares are being charged, Joynal said.
Homebound passengers also crowded Kamalapur Railway Station as many were leaving the capital early to avoid excessive crowds.
