Commuters in the capital are facing trouble getting public transport ahead of the BNP rally, scheduled to be held around 11:00am today at Goalpbagh field, as fewer buses are plying the city roads.

Since morning, Awami League took positions at different important places including in front of AL Helal Clinic in Mirpur-10, Shewrapara, Farmgate intersection, opposition of green Super market, Shahjahanpur intersection and others areas.

Police were also seen at different intersections. However, presence of law enforcers was significantly higher in Shewrapara, Chandrima Udyan intersection, Mohammadpur and Farmgate areas.

Seeking anonymity, a private job seeker said he started from Mirpur 10 to farmgate around 8:15am.

"There was no public bus at the stand. I took a CNG-run auto-rickshaw. While going towards Farmgate, not a single bus crossed me. I didn't see any public buses on the opposite side either," he said.

Uttara Azimpur road. Photo: Sajjad Hossain.

Public buses were hardly seen at Panthpath and Kalabagan areas on Mirpur Road, and Mahakhali, Mirpur 1, Gabtoli, and Uttara areas.

Many residents also alleged that rickshaw-pullers and auto-rickshaw drivers were charging extra fares.

Talking to The Daily Star, Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association secretary general Khondaker Enayet Ullah said, "There were some people on roads in the morning. That's why few buses were running. Due to low number of passengers, many bus owners took their vehicles off the road."

Enayet Ullah also said a car was burnt in the Mirpur area yesterday. That's why the bus owners were afraid.

When asked whether there was any instruction from the government or the administration, he said, "There was no such instruction and we also did not give any instruction on behalf of our organisation to owners about not operating buses on roads."

Meanwhile, residents of Farmgate, West Raza Bazar, Indira Road, and Tejturi Bazar areas said that most of the shops, including groceries, restaurants, and tea stalls, have been closed since this morning.