Eid brings crowds to entertainment centers
Visitors flock to the Bangladesh National Zoo with their families during the Eid holidays. The entire area is bustling with children, teenagers and their parents in front of the giraffe cage. - Shamim-us-Salehin
Compared to Eid-ul-Fitr, the hustle and bustle is slightly greater on Eid-ul-Adha. With animal sacrifices, distribution of meat, cooking, and eating, there is plenty of activity. As soon as the workload eases, people throng to go out and about. This year, with three consecutive days of public holidays after Eid, entertainment and tourist centers were filled with visitors. Almost all tourist spots across the country saw overflowing crowds.
Chattogram
Patenga Beach is the most preferred spot for the people of the port city. Like every year, there was a sea of people there. Not only Patenga, but entertainment centers along the road from the Boat Club in the same area to DC Park in Faujdarhat, Sitakunda, satisfied the cravings of city dwellers.
Photo: BSS
Every afternoon, visitors would start gathering at Patenga Beach. They came to see the sea waves, rows of ships in the distance, and the sunset. At the same time, many gathered daily to spend some time with family and friends, eat chaat, phuchka, or the Naval area's famous crab and small piyaju (onion fritters). During the Eid holidays, the crowd multiplied several times over.
Adjacent to Patenga Beach is the Chattogram Outer Ring Road. On one side of the road, the vast waters of the Bay of Bengal and the endless blue sky are a great attraction for visitors. Many prefer to drive along this road, which runs hugging the sea.
One of the major attractions on this route is the tunnel built under the Karnaphuli River. Since its opening—the first river tunnel in South Asia—it has become a new attraction for tourists. During the Eid holidays, many families are going just to experience traveling through the tunnel. This approximately 3.32-kilometer tunnel connects Chattogram city with Anwara.
DC Park in Faujdarhat also saw a flood of visitors. With its vast open environment, lake, flower gardens, and various facilities for children, many prefer to visit here with their families.
In addition, Rani Rashmoni Ghat, the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the riverside groves of jarul trees, the Chittagong Boat Club, and the Gunners Training Area have also become favorite spots for tourists.
Rajshahi
Even though the Eid holidays have ended, the festive atmosphere in Rajshahi shows no sign of fading. Once educational institutions reopen, the city will fully return to normal life. Until then, entertainment centers in the city will remain crowded. In particular, places like the Padma River bank and children's parks become lively from the afternoon onward.
On Sunday, the last day of the government holiday, all tourist spots were extremely crowded. As the afternoon progressed, the Padma River bank, Central Park and Zoo, Lalon Shah Open Stage, Shaheed Zia Children's Park, Bhadra Children's Park, and the Border Anchor area all took on a festive atmosphere. In the midst of their busy lives, everyone came to enjoy some fresh air and spend time with friends and family.
The largest gathering of visitors was seen on the banks of the Padma River. Especially in the Borkuthi area, T-Bandh, and the riverside walkways, crowds poured in after noon. Walking with family, hanging out with friends, boat trips, or watching the sunset—the Padma riverbank became a veritable fairground. People of all ages—from children to the elderly—were present in equal measure. Some were seen sitting by the river chatting, others taking photos, and still others enjoying the beauty of the Padma from boats.
Rajshahi's beloved Padma River bank was as lively as any holiday. BSS.
Mazed Ali, who came to visit the Padma riverbank, said, "Because of my job, I don't get to give much time to my family. So I took everyone out during the Eid holidays. Even though the holiday is over, I wanted to give a little more time to my family. But the crowd is so huge that at many places, it's hard even to stand."
There was also a massive presence of children and teenagers at the city's Central Park and Zoo. Abdus Salam, a resident of Shalbagan area, said, "I brought my children to see the animals. Even though there aren't any large animals, they are very happy. Being able to play in an open space is the most important thing."
Rafiqul Islam, a local seller of phuchka and velpuri, said business had been good during the Eid holidays. His income in these seven days nearly tripled.
Tea seller Azizul Haque said that where he normally sells two to three thousand taka worth of tea, during the Eid holidays sales have reached around six to seven thousand taka.
Ice cream seller Nazmul Hossain said that so many people come to the zoo after noon that often there is no place even to stand. However, he doesn't mind the crowd, because this crowd brings business.
Not only food and toy businesses, but also the various ride businesses set up in the children's park and Lalon Shah Open Stage area were thriving. Children were seen waiting in long lines to ride the ferris wheel, train rides, swings, and other mechanical rides.
