One rally but too much suffering
After crippling traffic jams on workdays, the weekend was supposed to bring Dhaka city commuters some respite. But yesterday did not, especially for those travelling to Shahbagh's Shishu Park, Ramna Park, and adjacent areas through Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue.
Buses, cars, and other vehicles had to remain stuck even up to one hour at Shahbagh, Bangla Motor and Farmgate, thanks to a rally arranged to congratulate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Suhrawardy Udyan in the afternoon, for her government's political and diplomatic successes including India's ratification of the 1974 land boundary agreement.
The reception, by Jatiya Nagorik Committee, started at 3:30pm.
Traffic police sources said the congestion got intensified from noon when people started rushing to the venue. "We had to halt vehicular movement for security concern,” said a high official of traffic police.
Heavy showers in the afternoon also contributed to the gridlock, said pedestrians and passengers at Farmgate.
Vehicles were stuck on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue and adjacent roads, while crowds of passengers waiting to catch a bus home swelled at Karwan Bazar and Farmgate in the evening.
The traffic jam was so severe that a photojournalist had to leave his motorbike at Farmgate and walk the distance to Karwan Bazar so as to cover an event at Sonargaon hotel.
Saiful Islam, official of a private organisation, said it took him more than an hour to travel to Farmgate from Shyamoli by car in the afternoon.
Comments