Sagar Biswas :Terrible traffic jam collapsed civic life in capital Dhaka on Monday when thousands of dwellers were trapped for hour after hour due to endless row of motionless vehicles on the city’s thoroughfares and by lanes.Several traffic officials, preferring to remain anonymous, said that the massive traffic jam was actually initiated due to holding of mammoth rally by ruling Awami League marking the Bangabandhu’s Homecoming Day, where processions of party men boarding on buses or trucks and on foot joined the venue at Suhrawardy Udyan choking the road space.Although the traffic jam is a regular phenomenon in the capital, it caused yesterday immense suffering to the residents at Pallabi, Mirpur, Shewrapara, Taltola, Naya Paltan, Purana Paltan, Bijoy Nagar, Motijheel, Dilkusha, Shahbagh, Kakrail, Malibag, Moghbazar, Karwan Bazar, Bangla Motor, Farm Gate and where not!.A major portion of VIP Road, from Matsya Bhaban- Shahbgah-Farmgate to Prime Minister’s Office apparently remained standstill from morning to late evening as it was almost impossible for the drivers to get a little space to move forward their vehicles. Police blocked the road from Shabagh to Matsya Bhaban at 10:00am several hours before the Awami League’s meeting had started. The jam later spread throughout the capital city. The overall situation was deteriorated when police started operation for quick dispatch of the VVIP vehicles on the wrong side of Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue at about 2:30pm to join meeting venue. Just within ten minutes the motorcade of PM, other ministers and MPs escaped the nagging jam apparently keeping thousands of city dwellers locked in severe traffic jam for several hours till late evening.When contacted, an official of Traffic Control Room of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said, “The traffic jam situation was ‘unnatural and severe’ at different city points, including Uttara, Mirpur Road, Moghbazar, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Malibagh and Mouchak.”But the official refrained from making any comment behind the reason of massive gridlock. Many people who became fed up due to the grid lock tried to go to their destinations on foot even leaving the vehicles as law enforcers restricted their movement for felicitating smooth passage of VVIPs.Expressing deep dissatisfaction, a private bank official Ismail Hossain said, “It is killing of unlimited working-hours and reducing of commuters’ energy and working ability. I don’t understand why government doesn’t pay heed to such a disgusting situation.””In such situation, the government can use helicopters for movement of VVIPs, which can reduce the intensity of traffic jam,” he said. In fact, the reason behind yesterday’s irksome traffic jam was caused due to unplanned movement of VVIPs motorcade on the thoroughfares during the busy working day for more than one time. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina both came out on the street yesterday almost in same time in the morning to join different programmes. The President went to Radisson Blue Hotel from Bangabhaban and later he joined another programme at Bangbandhu International Conference Centre in the noon. On the other hand, the PM started from Gano Bhaban to join cabinet meeting at Secretariat. In second phase, the PM went to Shurawardy Udyan from PMO in the afternoon. Scarcity of vehicles was another reason for public sufferings. Several bus-truck owners said that they were compelled to give their vehicles to the ruling party men for carrying supporters to meeting venue. Besides, several owners did not let their drivers to bring out vehicles fearing ‘force requisition’ by party cadres. And so, the suffering was tremendous yesterday when thousands of people were seen waiting till late night to get a vehicle to reach their homes.
