Dhaka, Oct. 1 -- City dwellers began leaving Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon after the government declared a four-day holiday for Durga Puja, the largest annual festival for Bengali Hindus.

By Wednesday, streams of passengers continued to pour out of the capital through various terminals, though many faced long delays as heavy traffic clogged highways.

The outflow of holidaymakers left Dhaka visibly quieter than usual. Thursday has been designated a public holiday for the festival, with the government adding Wednesday to the schedule by executive order. With Friday and Saturday forming the regular weekend, many seized the chance for an extended break.

Since Tuesday afternoon, scores of passengers have been boarding buses bound for districts...