AL’s ‘victory procession’ brings city to a standstill

Awami League's "victory procession", organised to celebrate  Victory Day, yesterday caused traffic gridlocks in the capital, which ultimately led to city dwellers suffering.

Traffic movement was blocked from High Court area to Shahbagh intersection, owing to the procession.

The situation spread to the capital's Gulistan, Elephant Road, Dhanmondi, Asadgate, Mirpur, Farmgate, and Banglamotor.

In the evening, the entire section of the Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover leading to Banglamotor was closed off, with traffic police standing at the intersection, waving to vehicles to take another route. As a result, Hatirjheel and the Badda road was also fully congested.

Party leaders and activists from different wards were seen on trucks and pickup-vans gathering in front of Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh near the Suhrawardy Udyan. In the afternoon, the procession began, parading through Shahbagh, Elephant Road, Science Lab, Kalabagan, Tejgaon Intersection and Mirpur Road.

I remained stuck in traffic at the same place for over one hour. Of course, I was late for the office.

— Nowshad Islam, a private-job holder

It ended at Dhanmondi Road 32.

Nowshad Islam, a private-job holder, said he was going to his office at Farmgate from Kuril Bishwa Road. Normally, it takes 45 minutes to reach his workplace. But he had to spend more than two hours on the road due to the congestion.

"I remained stuck in traffic at the same place for over one hour. Of course, I was late for the office," he said.

The procession left almost all the roads connecting to the main thoroughfares paralysed.

Another commuter, Asad Rahman, said he started around 2:15pm from Savar but was stuck for nearly an hour in different places -- Gabtoli, Kallyanpur, Shyamoli, and Asadgate. Later, he reached his office at Farmgate after 4:00pm.

Traffic movement came to a halt in those places alongside adjacent areas. PHOTO: AMRAN HOSSAIN

Md Abdul Hossain, the helper of an Ayat Paribahan bus, said, "Passengers got off the bus, as they had to face hassle due to traffic jams."

Talking to this newspaper, commuter Rohit Raju, who had been waiting for 50 minutes on a bus at Shahbagh intersection, said, "Usually, we don't see much traffic on holidays, but there is too much congestion on the road today."

Passengers got off the bus, as they had to face hassle due to traffic jams.

— Md Abdul Hossain, bus helper

Talking to The Daily Star, Ramna Division (Traffic) Deputy Commissioner Joynul Abedin said, "The traffic jams were created as hundreds of people across the country gathered at the capital to join the Awami League procession."

"As city dwellers were suffering, we tried to control the situation from our end," he added.