Severe traffic jam hits Dhaka due to 'VVIP movement'

There have been severe traffic congestions in different parts of the city since 8:00 am Thursday.

It caused immense suffering to the daily commuters. People of different professions could not reach their destinations in time due to the severe traffic.

According to the police, severe traffic congestion spread in the capital’s Kalyanpur, Shyamoli, Asadgate, Farmgate and Karwan Bazar due to a VVIP movement in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area early in the morning.

Later, at around 10:00am the situation improved a bit in these areas.

However, the traffic situation worsened again after 11:00am in the city’s Mirpur road, Mohakhali and Shahbagh.

Jagannath University student Ashmita Bishwas said she started from Puran Dhaka for Karwan Bazar at around 10:00am. She reached Karwan Bazar at around 12.30pm. It usually takes around an hour on normal days. She was stuck at the Shahbagh for around 50 minutes.

Speaking regarding the reasons behind the huge traffic in the Ramna area, police said, a number of vehicles were moving with construction materials on the roads in Moghbazar area. It slowed the traffic. The situation became worse after a girder fell from one of those vehicles, police said.

Apart from that, leaders and activists of ruling Awami League are moving towards the Bangabandhu Avenue from different areas of the city to attend the party’s rally there to be held in the afternoon. It is also a major reason behind the severe traffic congestion.

Shohail Rana, a private job holder, told Prothom Alo at around 9:00 am that it took more than an hour to reach Shyamoli from Gabtoli. It usually takes only 15 minutes on normal days.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Mostak Ahmed, in charge of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s traffic division in Tejgaon, said, “Traffic congestion increased due to a VVIP movement in the morning and fall of a girder on the Moghbazar road. The situation became normal after the girder was removed from the road. Now the traffic situation is almost back to normal.”