Hartalless capital jammed again

The old scenario of traffic congestion was back on Dhaka city roads yesterday as the hartal was withdrawn on the week day after enforcing shutdown for 37 working days, except for one day, since February 1.

The BNP-led 20-party alliance on Tuesday announced its decision to spare the public from continuous hartals for today but to continue the blockade.

Transports on different routes had to wait for long to cross a short distance due to a rush of vehicles especially during peak hours yesterday.

"It took me one and a half hours to reach my office at Karwan Bazar from Shantibagh by a bus but during hartals it takes around 30 minutes," said Rafikuzzaman, a private company official.

Md Ripon, helper of Shikar Paribahan, a Jatrabari-Mirpur-12 route bus, said compared to Tuesday, it took the bus half an hour more to reach Gulistan from Jatrabari.

Sumon, helper of ETC Transport Company Ltd, a Gulistan-Mipur-12 route bus, said, "Our bus took around 45 minutes to cross Farmgate area in the afternoon whereas at the same time on other days it takes only 15 minutes.”

A huge number of private cars and other vehicles entered the city, taking advantage of the hartal free day. Schools, colleges and universities, which remained closed during hartals, also opened yesterday, causing people to bring their own transports on roads and to contribute to the congestion.