Defying coronavirus scares and multiple hurdles on their way, a large number of Dhaka dwellers yesterday returned to the city after celebrating Eid at their village homes.

As operation of public transports remained suspended, people were seen travelling on trucks, pickups, microbuses, motorbikes and other small vehicles, risking their lives.

Many were seen walking for miles after failing to avail any transport.

As passenger launch operations remained suspended, people from southern districts had to cross the river Padma on ferries.

On Shimulia-Banglabazar ferry route, a huge crowd of Dhaka-bound people were seen. People boarded ferries in crowds, in complete absence of health safety rules.

Many passengers were seen travelling without wearing masks.

The ferry route's Shimulia point is located at Munishiganj while Banglabazar is located at Madaripur.

A total of 17 ferries were in operation on the route yesterday, said Profullah Chowhan, manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at Shimulia terminal.

Several hundred private cars and cargo carriers crossed the river yesterday through this route, he informed.

The Dhaka-Chattogram highway yesterday witnessed a huge rush of private vehicles heading towards the capital.

"The flow of private vehicles much higher compared to other times," said Sultan Ahmed, sub-inspector of Daudkandi Highway Police Station in Cumilla.

A traveller Partha Karmakar, who came from Chattogram to Dhaka yesterday, said, "There was a huge rush of vehicles on the highway. Even, I had to get stuck for around an hour at Cumilla's Gouripur area."

Similar situation was noticed in Sirajganj near Bangabandhu Bridge, which is considered as the gateway of 16 northern districts. Dhaka-bound rush from northern region was observed all day long.

"There is no transport here. But my Eid holidays have been concluded. Now, I along with my wife have decided to return to Dhaka riding on motorbike," said a man who works at a garment factory on the outskirts of the capital.

The Bangabandhu Bridge has been witnessing a huge rush of Dhaka-bound private vehicles since the last couple of days, said Md Mosaddek Hossain, officer-in-charge of Bangabandhu Bridge (West Zone) Police Station.

[Our correspondents from Munshiganj, Cumilla and Sirajganj contributed to this report]