Vehicular movement in the capital increased Thursday, the last day of the 3-day blockade enforced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat Islami, as compared to the last two days.
However, no long-route bus has left the Gabtoli bus terminal in Dhaka today as well.
There were more office-bound people on the streets today. The number of private cars has also increased as compared to the last two days. Some of the people were seen waiting for buses to reach their workplaces.
This was the scenario at several places in the capital, including Mohammadpur, Shyamoli, Kalyanpur, Technical intersection and Gabtoli bus stand, in between 9:00 am to 9:30 am.
Rabeya Akter, a service holder at a private company, was waiting for buses at Kalyanpur bus stand. Speaking to Prothom Alo at around 8:30 am she said she attended the office in the last two days as well.
Speaking regarding today's situation, Rabeya Akter said, “The number of buses is little more than the last two days. I saw buses full of passengers today.”
However, like the last two days, buses are not leaving the Gabtoli bus stand for any long-distance destination. There were no passengers at the ticket counters of long-route buses either. The ticket counters of long-route buses remain closed today as well.
Larger companies have several ticket counters at the Gabtoli bus terminal. However, only a few of them are open today. The passengers, who came to the terminal, were inquiring about the schedule of the buses to leave tomorrow, Friday.
Some bus counters are saying buses will start leaving Gabtoli from 4:00 pm. Some were saying they will assess the situation and come to a decision in this regard by afternoon.
Local trader Billal Hossain has come to the bus terminal with one of his relatives. He said they would go to Jashore. Prothom Alo spoke to him at around 8:45 am.
Billal Hossain said, they have been told by the staff of the Hanif Paribahan that buses will start leaving after 4:00 pm today. Some of the companies said their buses would start to leave the terminal after 2:00 pm. However, nobody was selling any tickets in advance.
Billal said he would wait a little and return home if he doesn’t get a bus.
The BNP is holding a three-day all-out blockade in the roads, rail and waterways across the country to press home its one-point demand of resignation of the government before the 12th parliamentary elections and holding the election under a non-party caretaker government.
Several other parties in alliance with BNP and other like minded parties have also declared the same programme. The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is also holding the same programme separately.
The de facto opposition declared a strike (hartal) on 29 October, following attacks and clashes surrounding their grand rally on 28 October. After the strike, the party declared an all-out 3-day blockade from Tuesday.