Dhaka-bound traffic sparse amid duelling rallies
News Desk :
There was no rush of passengers at the Jatrabari and Gabtoli bus terminals in Dhaka as anxious commuters stayed home due to the duelling political rallies in the capital called by the BNP and three affiliate organisations of the ruling Awami League.
The number of vehicles coming into the city was fewer than usual, while the passenger loads on departing buses was also low.
Police have been conducting searches on Dhaka-bound vehicles at check-posts set up at the entry points of the city and other areas, reports bdnews24.com The streets of Jatrabari were largely empty early on Friday, and even for a weekend, traffic on Dhaka’s streets was markedly light.
Police detained 12 people at Dhaka’s Sadarghat launch terminal ahead of the rallies in the capital called by the BNP and three affiliate organisations of the ruling Awami League – the Jubo League, Chhatra League, and Swechchha Sebak League.
Travellers on boats and trawlers from Keraniganj were also scarce on the Buriganga River due to strict police searches at the terminals’ entrance.
Buses operating from Jatrabari and Saidabad bus terminals were few and far between. Most of the buses were struggling to find passengers.
The Jatrabari intersection is usually packed with vehicles even on the weekends, but the road was free on Friday. Sazzad Hossain, a conductor of Turag Paribahan, said their bus reached Jatrabari from Tongi in one and a half hours.
“We are short of passengers, but are continuing to operate,” he added.
Passengers travelling out of Dhaka faced difficulties finding transport. Khalilur Rahman, a resident of Dhaka’s Tikatuli, said he had to travel to Narsingdi for an emergency, but couldn’t find any buses at the counters of the Jatrabari bus terminal.
“I need to meet a relative for an urgent matter but I had to wait for a long time to catch a bus at Jatrabari. Now, I have no choice but to travel on an overcrowded local bus.”
Police have been actively conducting searches in the capital’s Shonir Akhra, Kazla and Saidabad in a bid to prevent any unsavoury incident surrounding the rallies.
The number of buses at the Gabtoli bus terminal was also lower compared to previous days.
While some long-distance and local buses travelling to Dhaka’s outskirts were operating from the terminal, heightened police vigilance caused disruptions during travel as some vehicles were halted midway for checks.
Aslam Hossain, a driver’s aide from Selfie Paribahan on the Gabtoli-Paturia route, said all buses providing services in Dhaka were operational, but some of them could not reach their destinations due to the road checks.
Police have set up a check-post in Aminbazar, an entry point to Dhaka, and have been active since 6 am, according to Traffic Police Inspector Khasru Parvez. Law enforcement officials said they are mainly inspecting long-haul buses entering the city, along with a few cars and microbuses, for suspicious elements.
