Commuters suffer in city

Staff Reporter :
All city streets were teeming with buses and no space was left even for walking smoothly as thousands of people from all walks of life were treading in and around the Shurawardy Udyan where Jubo League was celebrating its golden jubilee with the presence of tens of thousands of leaders and workers.
But it was not smooth for the city residents who were frustrated and dismayed when they found that there were no buses for them to move to different destinations whereas streets abound with buses.
Many passengers were seen waiting for hours at different bus stands viz. Pallabi, Mirpur, Shewrapara, Agargaon, Farmgate, Gabtoli, Shyamoli, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Syedabad, Biswaroad,
Malibag, Paltan and Matijheel.
For carrying the Jubo League leaders and workers to the Shurawardy Udyan, all the city buses were hired for the purpose.
Small and big buses belonging to the city service were seen lying idle in the streets and lanes after dismounting the activists.
Even hundreds of other buses from different districts were also lying idle in narrow streets and thoroughfares of the capital as these buses were also hired for the event.
As a result, the streets were clogged and it was difficult for the people to walk freely and even small vehicles like CNG, motorcycles and private cars as well as rickshaws were seen stuck in long traffic jams for hours.
Consequently, the city residents, who travelled on Friday, had to face untold sufferings as there were few buses in the streets.
Finding no way, many opted for rickshaws, vans, CNG and motorbikes. But the fare of these small vehicles was exorbitant for even a short distance. So commuters were compelled to pay what was asked by the opportunity-seeking drivers and riders of these small vehicles.
Even many of them were seen walking for a short and long distance as the fare of other vehicles was much higher for them.
Before holding the Jubo League rally scheduled at 2:30 pm, its leaders and workers brought out processions in different streets before reaching the venue at Shurawardy Udyan. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the rally.
Wearing different colours of T-shirts and caps, leaders and activists from different pockets of the country also arrived in Dhaka to participate in the rally.
Since morning they were swarming to the venue as well as TSC, Mall Chattar, VC Chattar, Shahbagh, Doel Chattar and its surrounding areas since morning.
As a result, traffic congestion emerged since morning on different streets, especially from Shahbagh to High Court via Bangla Academy, from Ramna to Matsya Bhaban and from Farmgate to Shahbagh.
It was difficult for the traffic police to control the huge rush of traffic in the city streets on the holiday.
The traffic police earlier directed for diversion due to the huge gathering in and around the Shurawardy Udyan. The city dwellers said that it was really a day of suffering when the political parties hold such huge gatherings in the capital.
It is to be noted that Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni, one of the commanders of Mujib Bahini during Liberation War, is the founder of the Awami Jubo League.