Photos capture a mass homecoming exodus from Dhaka for Eid al-Fitr holiday

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh's capital Dhaka hums with work and noise. Now, it is beginning to empty.

Millions of internal migrants are preparing to return home for Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramadan.

A child dressed in celebratory bright pink rides atop a sea of people trying to board a ferry. The overnight boats glow with bright signs bearing the names of destination cities that travelers call home.

At Dhaka’s railway stations, the rush is equally chaotic. Travelers squeeze through narrow windows while others climb onto train roofs. Families carry bags over their heads that are packed with gifts for parents, siblings and neighbors.

For a moment, Dhaka pauses. A metropolis that swells daily with labor and ambition also empties once each year for ritual and family. The city drew them with jobs, schools and opportunity but releases them back to villages and towns across Bangladesh.

Each journey is ordinary and extraordinary.

These photographs capture the motion and joy of Eid as more than a holiday, but also a homecoming for millions.

Homebound travelers scramble to board a train at Kamalapur Railway Station, joining the massive annual exodus to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Homebound travelers scramble to board a train at Kamalapur Railway Station, joining the massive annual exodus to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Thousands of travelers scramble and jostle each other to board ferries at the Sadarghat Launch Terminal, joining the massive annual exodus to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in their hometowns, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Thousands of travelers scramble to board ferries at the Sadarghat Launch Terminal, joining the massive annual exodus to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in their hometowns, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Thousands of travelers scramble and jostle each other to board ferries at the Sadarghat Launch Terminal, joining the massive annual exodus to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in their hometowns, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 2026--

With combined business spend on loyalty, employee recognition, and channel incentives projected to exceed $80 billion by the 2030s, the incentive industry is entering a period of rapid scale and strategic pressure.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260422729016/en/

In response, the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA) launched a new suite of resources designed to help incentive professionals navigate an environment that’s becoming more specialized, fragmented, and central to business performance.

“It’s not just more money coming in—it’s more complexity,” said Vince Chiofolo, President of the Incentive & Engagement Solution Providers (IESP). “Buyers are demanding programs that evolve fast, integrate deeply, and feel personal at scale. These new tools were built for that.”

IMA’s Suite of Tools Includes:

New Industry Report — Inside the Incentive Buyer’s Mind

Drawn from insights of 50+ program owners, the report from Inside the Incentive Buyer’s Mind breaks down the changing expectations of today’s buyers. This report will help:

EngageIQ — The First AI Assistant Built for Incentive Education

Now live via ChatGPT integration, EngageIQ answers real-time questions about segmentation, program design, reward models, and strategy logic.

EngageIQ brings structure to the conversations around recognition, loyalty, and incentives, and puts credible, focused knowledge within reach.

Motivation Insiders Podcast Relaunch

A sharper, more frequent series focused on the voices moving the industry forward—from practitioners and platform leaders to marketers and incentive buyers. Each episode on the Motivation Insiders Podcast brings together experts to discuss different aspects of behavioral science and how you can use them to improve your incentive and recognition programs.

Global Insights on Incentive & Recognition

The IMA Global Incentives & Recognition Report consolidates insights from executives and companies for industry professionals seeking a better understanding of the global landscape of incentive and recognition.

The report offers a focused lens, providing structure, depth and actionable insights across regions and roles. This forms a structured and scalable knowledge base—designed to deliver both global comparability and local relevance.

Recognition Professionals Certification

Built on Recognition Professionals International’s (RPI) 7 Best Practice Standards® and supported by decades of research, the CRP designation establishes you as a leader in the art and science of employee recognition.

Access all the tools at www.incentivemarketing.org.

Incentive Market Set to Surpass $80B by 2030s — IMA Launches Tools to Help the Industry Keep Pace