Traffic mess caused to welcome PM
Ismail Hossain, a resident of Gazipur, does not understand how and why public sufferings go unnoticed year after year during receptions and conventions through occupying the streets of the capital.
He came to the city yesterday to have his one-year-old child's check-up done at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.
On his way home, he regretted his Dhaka visit, facing severe traffic congestion as thousands of Jubo League activists gathered on the streets and pedestrian walkways all the way from Jahangir Gate to Gono Bhaban around 12:30pm to welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her return from China.
Ismail waited at Shahbagh for one hour for a bus but none came by, as all the roads were congested, and then walked to Farmgate. Around 3:30pm, he was still waiting there for a vehicle to go home.
The traffic jam on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue caused gridlock on Malibagh, Moghbazar, Shantinagar, Mohakhali, Banani and Mirpur roads.
“It took more than an hour to come to Bangla Motor from Shahbagh. Finally, I got down from the bus and walked to my office at Farmgate around 2:45pm,” said Hossain, a private service holder.
Even traffic sergeants were at their wits' end.
Talking to The Daily Star, they spoke in exasperation of how Jubo League activists took position right on the streets, causing congestion.
“As thousands are occupying the streets with banners, vehicles have slowed down to a crawl,” said a traffic sergeant wishing not to be named.
Meanwhile, the Jubo League offered apology for the public sufferings but said it had to organise the gathering to welcome the Awami League party chief after her “successful China visit”.
“The prime minister has paved the path for economic freedom of the country through her China visit. So we organised the gathering to congratulate her on this achievement,” Jubo League chairman Omar Faroque Chowdhury told The Daily Star.
However, the PM's numerous diplomatic achievements in China were a cold comfort for general people like Ismail, who had to suffer immensely on her homecoming.
Each time a bus arrived at the Farmgate bus station, desperate commuters rushed to push their way onto it. Some even clambered up to the roof of the bus.
This caused harassment to women.
Fahima Tasnim, a college student, tentatively stepped forward to get on a bus but could not muster the courage to get into the crowd jostling at the entrance.
PM'S CHINA VISIT
During Sheikh Hasina's visit, Bangladesh and China signed six deals, including one for building a large power plant in Patuakhali, and two exchanges of letters (EoLs) to enhance cooperation in sectors like trade and investment and climate change.
HT Imam, political adviser to the prime minister, described the PM's China visit as hundred percent successful.
"Relations between the two countries will reach new heights," he said, adding that the Chinese government had accepted all the issues raised by Hasina.
PM's Media Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury told reporters at the airport that China had assured Hasina's government of all kinds of support for socio-economic development in the country and congratulated her on assuming office as premier for the second consecutive time through the January 5 national election.
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