Students take over traffic management amid police absence
Staff Reporter :
In the wake of the fall of the Hasina regime, a notable shift in traffic management has emerged in Dhaka, with agitated students stepping in to fill the void left by absent traffic police.
Acting as volunteers, these students have been seen managing traffic at numerous intersections across the capital.
Members of Bangladesh Scouts and other students have taken charge at major intersections including Gulistan, Paltan, Shahbagh, Karwan Bazar, Panthapath, Bijoy Sarani, Kakoli, Mirpur-10, Malibagh, Shantinagar, Jatrabari, Dayagonj, and Sayedabad. Their presence was also noted at Bashundhara Gate, Rampura, Uttara Jashim Uddin, and various parts of Dhanmondi.
The students have been observed directing traffic, preventing vehicles including rickshaws and motorcycles from taking wrong turns or parking improperly. Despite the presence of Ansar members at several locations, eyewitnesses report that students have largely been in control of the traffic flow.
Rifat, a former City College student, explained that students from various universities and colleges organised via a Facebook group to assist with traffic management. “Around 50 students from our group are working at intersections like Jatrabari, Kajla, Shanir Akhra, Hatirpool, Shahbagh, and Bashundhara. Half of us are engaged in road cleaning, while the other half manage traffic,” he said. He added, “We started early in the morning to ensure safe vehicular movement. Hundreds of students from other institutions have joined us, and we have spread out across various streets to maximise our impact.”
Arif Hasan, a student from Kabi Nazrul Government College, shared that he and his friends have been working as traffic controllers at Jatrabari intersection.
“With the traffic police absent since the fall of the regime, we felt it was our duty to step in,” Hasan stated.
“Having compelled the autocratic Hasina to resign, we now see it as our responsibility to assist the state and the nation in managing traffic safely.”
