Staff Reporter :
Traffic around the city came to a standstill on Wednesday afternoon, as BNP supporters took to Airport Road to greet Khaleda Zia on her return home.
BNP chief Khaleda Zia returned home yesterday after three months stay in the UK.
She landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka by a flight of Emirates Airlines around 5:10 pm.
Her arrival created traffic chaos in city, as roads leading to the airport were chocked with processions and motorcades of BNP activists. They took to the both sides of airport road and its thoroughfares since 2:00 pm to welcome Khaleda Zia at the airport halting vehicular movement. It ultimately affected the traffic in other parts of the capital.
The Bijoy Sarani-Mirpur, Mirpur-Mohakhali, Airport-Khilkhet, Banani-Kakoli roads saw clogged with heavy traffic jam that caused untold sufferings to commuters. The jam also extended up to Tongi, slowing down Dhaka to Tongi bound vehicles, officials of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said.
They said all major roads stretching from Airport to Kuril Biswa road remained gridlocked since 2:00pm due to the gathering of BNP supporters.
“Traffic almost came to a halt on the airport road causing huge inconvenience to hundreds of commuters, Al Mamun, a business man, told The New Nation.
He said it took him two hours to reach his Uttara residence from Banani instead of the usual half an hour.
Many people headed for their destinations on foot due to the massive gridlock.
Massive traffic snarl was also seen in many areas of the capital in the afternoon.
