Transportation on all water routes has been allowed to run for an extended period until 6:00am Monday considering the excess rush of Dhaka-bound factory workers.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) made the announcement on Sunday.
Earlier, the BIWTA on Saturday allowed waterway transports till 12:00pm Sunday to facilitate the return of factory workers to Dhaka.
Later in the day, all public transports carrying passengers were allowed till 12:00pm to help workers of the export-oriented sector to travel to their workplaces in the capital.
The government on Friday announced that export-oriented manufacturing factories would be allowed to reopen from Sunday amid an ongoing countrywide strict lockdown.
In a rush to return to their workplaces, Dhaka-bound factory workers from 21 southern districts of Bangladesh began to flock to Shimulia jetty on Saturday flouting health guidelines and lockdown restrictions.
As speedboat and launch movements were suspended due to the lockdown, the passengers were seen crowding the ferries in thousands.
Workers continued flocking back to Dhaka on Sunday, more in numbers following the relaxation in transport movement, causing heavy traffic congestion in highways, including a 20-kilometre tailback on Dhaka-Tangail Highway.
