BNP chief Khaleda returns from Hajj, causes traffic mayhem on Airport Road

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has returned home after performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Her arrival back home caused a traffic logjam on Airport Road as a large number of party activists and supporters gathered there to welcome her back at the airport.

A heightened police presence further contributed to the congestion in the heavy weekend traffic, witnesses and commuters alleged on Thursday.

Airport officials said a flight carrying the former prime minister and BNP chief touched down at Shahjalal International Airport at 5:10pm on Thursday.

But even before her arrival, thousands of party supporters had begun to gather near the airport, forcing vehicular traffic from Banani to Uttara to a standstill.

Security forces, however, did not let the leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliates, except Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and a few other top leaders, to enter the airport area.

The former prime minister had left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia on Sept 8 to perform Hajj. His son Tarique Rahman also joined her in Saudi Arabia from the UK. They travelled together to Dubai after the Hajj. Tarique then headed for London while Khaleda came back to Dhaka.

Thousands of Khaleda Zia’s supporters broke into applause and raised slogans welcoming her as her motorcade emerged at the airport square through the VIP terminal at 5:17pm. They occupied the footpaths and parts of the street all the way up to Khilkhet from the airport.

When her car reached Banani at 6pm, commuting vehicles were still moving very slowly on Airport Road and on adjacent roads.

Zinnat Ali Molla, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) for Uttara Zone, told bdnews24.com that traffic on both lanes of the Airport Road had been at a standstill from 4pm to 6:15pm due to the gathering of the BNP leaders and activists.

The BNP said Khaleda Zia and members of her family had gone to Makkah to perform Hajj as royal guests at the invitation of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Suburban Uttara witnessed a similar traffic snarl on Wednesday when Juba League Chairman Oman Faruq's supporters gathered to welcome him on his return from Hajj.

The ruling Awami League and its affiliates have also taken preparations to gather on the streets from the airport to Ganabhaban to welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday on her return from New York after attending the 71st UN General Assembly.