500,000 visit the national zoo in three days of Eid rush

Bangladesh National Zoo in Mirpur witnessed a massive influx of visitors during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. Nearly 5,00,000 people visited the zoo over three consecutive days.

Zoo Director Rafiqul Islam Talukdar said that the highest number of visitors -- around 1,90,000 -- came on the day after Eid.

Approximately 80,000 people visited on Eid day, while around 1,70,000 entered on the third day.

“Crowds are always high during Eid, but this time the pressure was way more. We had to stop selling tickets before 5:00pm to control the situation,” he said.

Although the gates were scheduled to open at 9:00am, visitors began lining up from as early as 8:00am.

The crowd intensified after noon. Despite opening multiple entry points, long congestion formed at the exit gates.

Severe traffic congestion was reported around Mirpur, especially near Mirpur-1. Many people were forced to walk long distances after getting down from their vehicles.

Sakib Ahmed, who came from Ashkona with his wife and two children, said they got stuck in heavy traffic near Mirpur-1. "Later, we had to get off the vehicle and walk with the kids.”

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The same situation prevailed for those going back. Many visitors were forced to walk all the way up to Mirpur-1.

Rashed Mahmud from Jatrabari said, “The fare was normal while coming, but on the way back, transport operators were demanding double or even triple fares. In the end, we had to walk.”

Tania Rahman, a university student from Mirpur DOHS, said, “We came to hang out with friends. It was difficult to manage the crowd inside, and after coming out, there was no transport available. We had to walk a long distance.”

Ariful Islam, a schoolteacher from Uttara, said, “People come out during Eid to relax, but transport shortages and excessive fares are ruining the joy. This must be controlled.”

 

The zoo director said that due to excessive pressure in the parking area, vehicle entry was restricted from the Rainkhola intersection.

While this reduced congestion inside, it increased the walking distance for visitors.

These difficulties, however, couldn't diminish children’s joy.

Tanvir Hasan from Mugda said, “We came because the children really want to. They enjoyed seeing the tiger and elephant -- that’s what matters most.”

 

Children were seen excited after seeing animals up close. Zulkar Nain said, “I saw a tiger for the first time today. It was very big -- I felt scared but also liked it.”

Mehjabin Binte Shams said, “I saw elephants and giraffes. It was fun when the elephant sprayed water.”

Ridwan said, “I saw a peacock spreading its feathers. I had only seen it on TV before. Seeing it in real life was amazing.”

Currently, the zoo houses more than 3,000 animals from 137 species, including Bengal tigers, elephants, hippopotamuses, kangaroos, and pythons, which remain the main attractions for visitors.

Like every year, the zoo saw a huge rush during Eid, but visitors have demanded better management to handle such crowds more effectively.

Despite all the suffering, many believe that spending time with family and seeing the joy on children’s faces ultimately made their Eid celebration complete.