Dhaka, March 17 -- Despite the onset of the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday travel season, bus terminals in the capital have presented a desolate look, with transport operators struggling to find passengers for several key routes.

At the Mohakhali bus terminal, a Sonar Bangla Paribahan bus bound for Sherpur left at 4:30pm on Tuesday with only nine passengers on board.

The driver's reluctance to depart was evident as the vehicle crawled toward the expressway entrance, where the helper continued to scout for travellers.

The situation led to a brief standoff with traffic police, who forced the bus to move forward to prevent congestion.

"Sir, we only have nine passengers. We won't find anyone else further down the road," the helper pleaded before the...