Traffic jams on Dhaka streets as PM Hasina's supporters gather to welcome her

Many areas in the capital Dhaka have been clogged with heavy traffic as Awami League supporters have descended on the streets in great numbers to welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her return from abroad.

Many areas in the capital Dhaka have been clogged with heavy traffic after Awami League supporters descended on the streets in great numbers to welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her return from abroad.

Despite Friday being a weekend, the entrance examinations of two public universities and the BCS examination coincided with the ruling party programme, leading to the extra traffic on the roads.

bdnews24.com correspondents posted at various points in the capital reported mass gathering on the streets with banners, placards and balloons in hand to celebrate the party chief's homecoming.

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The prime minister was expected to touch down at the Shahjalal International Airport at dusk, but her supporters began to pour out on the streets since 3pm.

Although Dhaka metro traffic police had assured people and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had urged supporters to carry out the welcome ceremony in an orderly manner, hardly any order was visible on the streets on Friday.

Massive traffic snarl was also seen in many areas of the capital in the afternoon.

Many headed for the airport had suffered as they had to walk nearly one kilometre with heavy luggage.

Around 5pm, pulling a big trolley-bag, one of two Kenya-bound passengers told bdnews24.com that their flight was at 7:20pm. "What else can I say about our suffering! Try to feel it."

After hearing of commute concerns, DMP Deputy Commissioner (Traffic-North) Prabir Kumar Roy on Thursday had told bdnews24.com they did not think there will much problem because the reception would be held on Friday.

He had said a large number of police personnel including two additional deputy commissioners, six assistant commissioners and 23 inspectors will be deployed on the roads to ensure that people are not stuck in traffic jams.

But gridlocks started developing on the road from Farmgate to Tongi since afternoon.

Hundreds of supporters gathered in front of the Prime Minister's Office at about 4 in the afternoon and took up positions on the road.

Leaders and workers of the Awami League from Mirpur's Shah Ali led several rounds of procession near the office.

Bangladesh Chhatra League members led by General secretary Jakir Hossain instead of gathering along the road did so on the middle of the street, paralysing traffic movement.

The Bijoy Sarani-Mirpur and Mirpur-Mohakhali roads also saw traffic snarls that caused inconvenience to commuters.

The gathering of a massive number of supporters at Banani, Khilkhet, Joar Sahara and the Airport Circle caused a jam that extended up to Tongi, slowing down Dhaka-bound vehicles.

On the contrary, the Tongi-bound road was nearly empty, making it hard for the commuters to get transport.

Businessman Akbar Ali told bdnews24.com that he had started from Tongi at 2pm and reached Mohakhali around 6pm.

An irritated Mokhles Mia said he had been waiting at Mohakhali for over an hour for transport. "I don't know whether I would find any kind of transport to get to Moghbazar."

Finally, he started walking towards Moghbazar around 5pm.

No vehicles could enter Farmgate-bound Manik Mia Avenue as police had placed barricades on the entrance to the road in the afternoon.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's aircraft landed at the airport at 6:42pm, over one and a half hours behind schedule because of the delay during a stoppage in Dubai.

Her convoy headed straight to her Ganabhaban residence, allowing the vehicles stranded on the Airport Road to leave for their destinations.

After she arrived at the Ganabhaban around 7:30pm, all the barricades were removed and vehicles started moving. But many commuters were seen stranded on the side of the road due to lack of transports.

A bdnews24.com correspondent said he could not find any transport for Banani even 30 minutes after the prime minister had left the airport.

Many frustrated commuters stuck in the traffic jam were seen sweating and tired on the hot weather. Some also got annoyed when the correspondent approached them for comments.