Now those who moved to Dhaka for work are rushing to return to their home villages before the lockdown takes effect. Thousands are cramming onto ferries hoping for a spot to get home.
Being so close to others in a pandemic isn't ideal, but they face a tough choice - stay in locked down Dhaka with no work or support, or go back to their home villages, to be with family.
Ferries have been operating 24 hours a day, trying to clear the backlog and get people home. Authorities say they try to stop overcrowding, but people's desperation means they don't listen. The exodus from Dhaka was sparked by a surge in coronavirus infections. Case numbers have reached six thousand a day. In response Bangladesh's government is issuing a stay-at-home order with shops, transportation and offices to close, meaning many will lose their jobs with no way to pay for food or rent. That leaves people with few options, other than to cram onto ferries, in an effort to find support in their hometowns.
