Dhaka: As Thursday was the last workday for employees and officials of government, semi-government and private offices before the Eid-ul-Azha, Dhaka dwellers started leaving for their respective village homes in their thousands to celebrate the festival with their near and dear ones.

The mass exodus of the homebound people began in the afternoon and is expected to continue till late night.

Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Masudur Rahman said around 12-15 lakh people were expected to leave the city on Thursday.

More holidaymakers, mostly businessmen and employees of shopping malls and markets, will leave Dhaka by Friday night.

Masudur said some 60 lakh city dwellers are expected to leave Dhaka for their respective village homes to celebrate the Eid with their families.

He said vehicles on national highways were running smoothly as no tailback was reported since Thursday morning.

Superintendent of Police (SP) of Dhaka Highway Police Shafiqul Islam said the vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Tanghail highway, and Paturia-Daulatdia and Mawa-Kawrakandi ferry routes remained smooth since morning.

However, the Dhaka-Tangail highways saw a heavy pressure of vehicles as a large number of garment workers started going to their respective native homes after 12:00pm, he said, adding that no traffic congestion was seen on the national highway till the evening.

The police officer hoped that the holidaymakers will not face any tailback at the last moment of their journeys, too.

Highway Police SP of Comilla Paritosh Ghose said a similar situation was prevailing on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway since morning and there is no possibility of any traffic snarl-up.