Home ›› 11 Dec 2022 ›› Front
The Dhaka Road Transport Owners’ Association had earlier assured city dwellers of un-interrupted services in both local and inter-city routes on Saturday – the day BNP held their much-anticipated rally, but the situation was far from normal.
During spot visits conducted across the capital since Saturday morning, The Business Post found that the number of passenger buses plying on roads was very low, and the situation was similar in terms of private car, CNG-run auto-rickshaw and rickshaw traffic.
On the other hand, police personnel, and leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League and its associate organisations have been seen taking up positions at nearly every intersection of every road in Dhaka.
Commuters leaving home for work, education or other purposes suffered severely due to the noticeable lack of public transportation services. Due to the non-availability of buses on various routes in Dhaka, many were seen traveling by rickshaws or CNG by paying exorbitant fares.
No long-distance buses were seen leaving Gulisthan’s Fulbaria, Gabtoli, Mohakhali, and Sayedabad bus stands.
Solaiman Haque, an employee of a private company who was waiting for a bus at the Rampura Bazar area around 9am, said, “I have been standing for almost an hour, but no bus came. Those like us whose offices are open are facing a big problem.”
In Kakrail intersection, private company employee Farzana Yasmin was also waiting for a bus.
She said, “I cannot find any buses to take me to work. Without any announcement, the public transportation system cannot suddenly be stopped like this. This is a key service utilised by nearly everyone. This issue is causing a lot of suffering to the public.”
Around 12 noon, almost all the bus counters – including the BRTC ones – were closed in Gulisthan’s Fulbaria area.
Fakhrul Islam, an employee of Ena Paribahan in Gulistan, said, “The buses may have been stopped due to security reasons centring the BNP rally. But we will resume operations after getting instructions from senior officials.
A man named Jasim Uddin was seen crying after he could not find any buses in Gulistan. His uncle died and he must get to Barisal as quickly as possible. He came to the bus stand only to find out that none of the buses were leaving the terminal.
“I will not be able to see my uncle for one last time,” he told The Business Post.
Similar situations have been observed at Gabtoli, Mohakhali, and Saidabad bus stands. The passengers say they have no alternatives but to endure this crisis.
Leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate organisations were seen stationed on various roads across the capital. A number of activists said thousands of supporters of Awami League are working as guards centring the BNP rally.
The police were working to maintain law and order in the capital.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch Chief Harun-or-Rashid, at the Nightingale intersection on Saturday, said “Centring the BNP rally, around 20,000 police personnel have been deployed in Dhaka to ensure the safety of the people and their properties.
“We have beefed up security at the Golapbagh grounds, the place where BNP has been granted permission to hold their rally. Hopefully, there will be no trouble.”
Police cordoned off the road stretching from Nightingale to Fakirapool intersection, preventing people from entering the area. The BNP office, located in the same area, is also under lock and key.
The DB chief said due to security reasons, they had introduced traffic diversions in the area.
BCL detains 5 JCD activists on DU campus
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders and activists of Dhaka University unit beat up some Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists when they attempted to enter the campus around 10am this morning.
The incident took place in front of Sir AF Rahman Hall. Later, the JCD activists were handed over to the Shahbagh police station on “suspicion of sabotage.”
Riazul Islam, president of Sir AF Rahman Hall Chhatra League unit, said, “After checking their mobile phones, we were confirmed that they were JCD activists, and we handed them over to the police.”
Noor Mohammad, Officer-in-Charge of Shahbagh police station, said that five people have been taken into custody on “suspicion of sabotage.”
“They are being questioned. We will release them if no evidence of involvement in criminal activity is found,” he said.
The police however did not reveal the identity of the JCD activists.
