People endure intolerable sufferings due to blockade in Dhaka city

Makhon Mia came to visit Dhaka with his wife and son Mojahid from Patuakhali. As the six-year-old Mojahid is a vitiligo patient, he finds trouble while exposed to sunray. The family has reached Karwan Bazar from Uttara changing vehicles several times. The family had two bags with them.

This correspondent talked with Makhon Mia at around 2:30 in the Karwan Bazar area. He reached here by rickshaw from Mohakhali. The demonstrators laid siege to SAARC Foara intersection in Karwan Bazar, and turned down to let the rickshaw go.

“I will go to Postogola. I took a rickshaw from Mohakhali to Gulistan at Tk 200 fare. They intercepted our rickshaw at Karwan Bazar, there was no way to move forward. I don’t know how we can go by walking. My son is ailing, and he is now suffering due to heat and sunray,” Makhon Mia said.

Like Makhon Mia, thousands of people in Dhaka city are going through intolerable sufferings due to blockade of students and job seekers demanding reform in the quota system in government jobs.  

The protesters blocked SAARC Foara intersection at around 10:45am halting movement of all vehicles. Nearby FDC intersection was also blocked.

The students barricading the intersection from all four sides were not allowing any vehicles except ambulances carrying patients.

Afroza Begum was stranded at FDC crossing in Karwan Bazar. She took her mother Saleha Begum to National Institute of Ear, Nose And Throat in Tejgaon for seeing a physician. They came to Karwan Bazar intersection walking all the way from Tejgaon.

“We’ll go to Dhanmondi. They did not allow our CNG. My mother had a tough time walking. Now we will take a rickshaw if possible, or walk as far as we can,” Afroza said.

A bus of Bihanga Paribahan was stranded in the barricade. Bus’ driver Md Joynal took off his shirt and was using the cloth as a fan. He said he has been stranded here since 11:30am. Although the passengers got off the bus, Joynal could not even turn away his vehicle.

Jasim Uddin was walking to a hospital at Dhanmondi from Kamrangir Char. Talking at Science Lab intersection, Jasim said he suffered a lot to come all the way as he is ill.

The motorcycle riders were pleading the protesters to allow them to go ahead. Md Yunus was returning to Lalbagh after applying for a visa at the Indian Visa Center in Bashundhara. Yunus got stuck with the bike at Karwan Bazar intersection. He said, "The government has to solve the demands of the students. We have been suffering for a few days now.

The stranded people were trying to talk with the demonstrators, but the organisers were barring the protestors from talking with anyone on loudspeakers.