Frequent road blockades in the capital city of Dhaka enforced by different groups and organisations to press for their demands are causing severe traffic congestion much the sufferings of the people.
If a road is blocked for any event like sit-in and rally, it causes suffering for the commuters, and most importantly, wastes people’s working hours affecting the country’s economy.
On Monday, students from seven colleges blocked intersections at Nilkhet and Science Lab, demanding establishment of an independent university for them instead of remaining under Dhaka University.
At the same time, a group of job seekers held a sit-in at Shahbagh in front of the National Museum. They were pushing for extending the entry age limit fo government jobs to 35 years. The protests brought traffic to a
standstill on several important roads, forcing many commuters to remain stuck in their vehicles for long period. Some even had to walk to reach their destinations.
Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury expressed concern over the disruption of traffic due to road blockades. He said that these protests are seriously affecting the traffic system in the city.
Speaking at the inauguration of Traffic Week 2024, organised by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Rajarbagh Police Lines on Monday, the adviser pointed out the growing challenges in managing city traffic with the huge number of vehicles, both legal and illegal, on the roads.
He also said the traffic authorities have started taking legal action against unauthorised vehicles and are working on traffic signals, which are expected to be activated soon.
The protesting students began their sit-in at Nilkhet around 12:00pm, having protested at Science Lab earlier in the day.
Witnesses said that traffic from Nilkhet to Dhaka University, Bakshibazar, New Market, Azimpur, and Science Lab came to a grinding halt due to the blockade.
Hundreds of students gathered at the intersections, turning away vehicles and sometimes arguing with drivers and passengers.
The blockades caused serious problems for the public, with many commuters facing long delays.
Toufiq Imam, a passenger travelling on a Savar-bound bus, said, "I left home for urgent work in Savar, but I've been stuck at Science Lab for over an hour. I am going to miss my appointments due to the delay."
Imran Ahmed, a bus driver, said “I started my trip in the morning, but haven’t completed a single trip yet. I’ve been waiting for over an hour and a half, and passengers have left without paying fare. I’m worried about how I’ll manage to submit today’s earnings to the owner.”
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Khandaker Nazmul Hasan said protest programmes are increasing in the capital disrupting traffic. He also mentioned that battery-run rickshaws are adding to the problem, however, the authorities are taking steps to control the situation, including issuing warnings and taking legal action.
