Amid the programme and counter-programme of Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), residents in Dhaka have been suffering from miseries to traffic congestion for second day on Wednesday.
Leaders of Awami League gathered in the Tejgaon’s Satrasta area for a peace and development procession, causing traffic congestion at the centre of the capital and adjoining roads.
Prior to this, BNP held a brief rally in Abdullahpur and started a march, disrupting the vehicular movement. The march then advanced towards Jatrabari via Airport road, Kuril Bishwa Road, Natun Bazar, Badda, Rampura Bridge, Malibagh, Basabo, Mugdha and Sayedabad.
The vehicular movements remained halted on a side of the road during the march, causing miseries to the commuters.
Residents in Dhaka also suffered on Tuesday due to programme and counter-programme of both parties.
BNP brought out a march for its ‘one-point movement’ demanding the ouster of the government in various parts of the capital for the second day while Awami League brought out the ‘Peace and Development Procession’ from Satrasta intersection of Tejgaon to Mohakhali bus terminal.
Awami League leaders and activists gathered in Satrasta and held a rally prior to bringing out the procession blocking one side of the road, resulting in traffic congestion in the area.
Traffic police sources said traffic congestion began in Abdullahpur in the morning and spread to Uttra, Kuril Bishwa Road, Badda and Gulshan road areas.
There was a huge traffic gridlock from the Tejgaon’s Satrasta intersection to the Ramna area due to the Awami League’s programme. Vehicles also moved slowly in Hatirjheel, Moghbazar, Banglamotor, Karwan Bazar and Farmgate areas.
Amid such traffic gridlock, an official of the Tejgaon land office started walking towards his destination in Johar Sahara after the office closed in the morning.
The official told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, “Roads are closed because of the procession. Since there is no public transport, I started walking home. I don’t know how many hours it will take to arrive in the destination.”
Johar Sahara is 10 kilometres away from Tejgaon.
Like this official, private service holder Abdus Sabur also started walking towards Abdullahpur from Mogbazar after failing to get any public transport. He told Prothom Alo there is huge traffic on the road. No vehicle moves. That is why he started walking and if he gets any transport on his way he would board on it.
Abdullahpur is about 21-kilometre distance from Mogbazar.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner (Ramna division) Zainul Abedin admitted the traffic congestion in Dhaka. He told Prothom Alo vehicles move very slowly and all have been requested to avoid Tejgaon road and move via Banglamotor, Karwan Bazar and Farmgate areas.
According to several officials of the traffic police from Tejgaon, Motijheel and Badda, traffic congestion hit entire capital due to the political programmes, but more traffic hit the roads in Motijheel, Kakrail, Ramna, Moghbazar, and Satrasta to Mohakhali, disrupting vehicle movement in Shahbagh, Banglamotor, Karwan Bazar and Farmgate areas.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’ traffic police (Tengaon division) assistant commissioner Snehasish Kumar Das told Prothom Alo, “We tried to keep vehicular movement normal on alternative routes in several areas.”
However, vehicular movement was halted on Mouchak flyover towards Tejgaon completely after 3:00pm, he added.