Dhaka, April 10 -- NGO worker Shamsul Haque Mridha felt assured by reports of comfortable journeys before Eid-ul-Fitr for several days, and government officials' remarks that there would be no traffic jams.

So he left Dhaka by a Thakurgaon-bound sleeper bus of Burimari Express from Shyamoli at 11:30pm on Monday, an hour behind schedule, after finishing his work.

"It took a long time to leave Dhaka. When I opened my eyes in the morning, we were still in Chandra!"

Chandra is only 42 kilometres from where he started the journey. When the bus crossed Bangabandhu Bridge, it was 11:30am on Tuesday.

"The roads have been improved and widened. Bridges have been built. They are beautiful structures, but our management has not reached such a lev...