Staff Reporter :
The traffic movement came to a near halt on Friday as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) held a grand rally in the heart of the capital where tens of thousands of activists and supporters attended.
The event, which commemorated the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, saw thousands of party leaders, activists, and supporters march through key areas of Dhaka, triggering severe traffic congestion and leaving commuters stranded for hours.
The procession began from the BNP’s headquarters in Nayapaltan and made its way through various vital roads, including Kakrail, Matshaya Bhaban, the Engineering Institute, Shahbagh, Hotel Intercontinental, Bangla Motor, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, and finally to Manik Mia Avenue.
As the rally moved, the entire capital descended into a standstill, with main thoroughfares, side streets, and connecting avenues all snarled in gridlock.
Traffic authorities and locals reported that the congestion was particularly severe around areas such as Motijheel, Kakrail, Mogbazar, Karwan Bazar, and Shahbagh.
The spillover effects of the gridlock were felt throughout the day, and even as evening set in, long lines of vehicles remained stuck, blocking major arteries across the city.
Even Google Maps showed red, indicating heavy traffic, throughout the affected zones, with several commuters sharing their frustrations on social media.
A number of residents vented their anger over the situation. Even they vented their anger on social media platform Facebook: “There is not a single day when we, the people, can go anywhere easily.”
Another user wrote, “In today’s digital world, it’s high time we ban any political rally in Dhaka city. The city dwellers have suffered for years! Time for change!”
This isn’t the first time that Dhaka’s traffic has been crippled by political events. Just three days earlier, on 5 November, parts of the city were paralyzed following a rally organized by the Islamic group Ulama Mashayekh Bangladesh at Suhrawardy Udyan.
The recurring disruptions have become a source of immense frustration for Dhaka’s residents, many of whom find themselves unable to complete basic errands or attend work and school when such events take place.
Speaking to the media, a police officer confirmed that the rally had indeed caused widespread traffic snarls.
“Vehicular movement was at a standstill due to the BNP’s rally and procession,” the official said. “It has caused traffic congestion across the city, from Motijheel to Mohammadpur.”
Though it was a public holiday, but the city dwellers generally try to spend this day with their family members in the city’s limited open spaces and eateries.
But the effects of the BNP’s rally extended far beyond just the immediate area of the procession, as surrounding roads also became gridlocked, forcing many to seek alternative routes or abandon their vehicles altogether.
