Staff Reporter :
Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, echoed with slogans as various platforms took to the streets, demanding rights and justice after claiming to have been deprived for 16 years under Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.
Several organisations staged protests and formed human chains at key locations across the city, including the Jatiya Press Club, Shahbagh, Science Lab, Karwan Bazar, Bangla Motor, Farmgate, Uttara, Mirpur, Kakrail, Gulistan near Police Headquarters, and the Agargaon PSC premises.
These widespread protests led to severe roadblocks and significant traffic congestion, causing immense difficulty for people trying to reach their destinations.
Police reported that traffic came to a standstill in front of the Jatiya Press Club and the Secretariat from 11:00 a.m. onwards as numerous human chains and demonstrations took place.
The disruption was exacerbated by the opening of educational institutions, which only contributed to the traffic woes. Vehicles were seen crawling through many areas, with many stuck for extended periods.
One of the major protests was led by former members of the 76th batch of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BDR), who were dismissed following the BDR mutiny.
They staged a sit-in protest in front of the Secretariat, demanding their reinstatement by the interim government. By 3:30 pm, they had surrounded the Secretariat’s Second Gate, further worsening the traffic situation.
Rafique, a dismissed former soldier, expressed his frustration: “We were dismissed unjustly, and despite promises of reinstatement, nothing has been done.”
Earlier in the day, at 11:00 am, loudspeaker announcements were heard near Shikkha Bhaban, where hundreds gathered in protest, demanding job permanency, reform, and nationalisation of positions.
Former BDR members, having failed to secure space in front of the Press Club, positioned themselves in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs around the same time. Baikuntha Deb, a former member, stated, “We were dismissed without cause, and we will submit a memorandum to the Home Adviser demanding our jobs be restored.”
Other notable protests included village police officers positioned outside the Press Club, demanding wage adjustments, while Medical Assistant Training School (MATS) students formed a human chain to protest against corruption.
Meanwhile, Ebtedayee Madrasa teachers rallied against perceived inequalities within the Madrasa Board.
The grassroots movement Trinomul Nagarik Andolon also held a rally, demanding accountability from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her administration.
Diploma students staged demonstrations at Shikkha Bhaban, advocating for educational reforms, while crowds also gathered in front of the High Court, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority in Bangla Motor, and the Directorate of Family Planning at Karwan Bazar.
At approximately 3:00 pm, students congregated at the Science Lab intersection, blocking the road to demand the cancellation of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams.
Simultaneously, another group of students at the Uttara BNS Centre echoed the same demands.
Students from Bangladesh Home Economics College also blocked the road near New Market, protesting for hostel accommodations. This led to the near-total paralysis of traffic on Mirpur Road.
Women from the “Tottho Apa” project formed a human chain, blocking the road in front of the State Guest House Jamuna, the residence of the interim government’s Chief Adviser.
They remained in place from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., demanding that project personnel be transferred to the revenue sector.
In another significant demonstration, former police officers who lost their jobs over the past 15 years staged a protest in front of the Police Headquarters in Gulistan, demanding their reinstatement.
Thousands of former officers gathered outside the two gates of the police headquarters, preventing anyone inside from leaving.
Army personnel were present to maintain order, but the protest led to yet another roadblock, further choking the city’s already congested streets.
By the evening, the gridlock had spread from Shonir Akhra and the Hanif Flyover to Jatrabari and the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, forcing many commuters to abandon vehicles and walk to their destinations.
Alauddin Kayum, a 65-year-old man en route to Dhaka Medical, remarked, “Governments come and go, but the traffic never improves.”
Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic Administration and Research) Mohammad Jahangir Alam attributed the severe traffic disruption to the multiple protests taking place simultaneously across the city.
He noted that student protests had resulted in the burning of traffic control boxes and damage to essential traffic equipment, leaving the authorities to rely on manual traffic management systems.
Alam stressed the urgent need for modern traffic management systems to prevent such widespread chaos in the future.