Dhaka commuters hit hard again as Khaleda's supporters clog up roads

A jubilant crowd of BNP supporters, who came to welcome their leader Khaleda Zia, conjured up a traffic nightmare the Airport Road on Wednesday, leaving hundreds of vehicles and thousands of commuters stranded in city streets

Obaidur Masum Faysaal Atik, Kazi Mobarak Hossainbdnews24.com
Published : 18 Oct 2017, 07:58 PM
Updated : 18 Oct 2017, 07:59 PM

Also Read: Khaleda returns

Kamrul Hasan, a student of Tejgaon College, started walking from Khilkhet to Uttara under the scorching mid-day sun after the bus he was travelling on remained stuck in traffic for around an hour on Wednesday.

"I boarded a bus at 1:30pm, but left it after around an hour as it couldn't move through the traffic. I will reach (my destination) much earlier if I walk," he said when bdnews24.com asked him why he was walking.

Many other commuters had to travel on foot on the Airport Road due to the traffic gridlock on Wednesday afternoon.  When bdnews24.com spoke to Kamrul at Khilkhet at 3pm, the other commuters complained about the hold-up.

For some, it took around six hours to reach the airport from Gazipur; a journey that usually takes around an hour.

Commuters on the Airport Road had to face similar traffic congestion 11 days ago when the Awami League leaders and activists organised a roadside reception for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her return from the US.

On Wednesday, her arch political rival Khaleda’s supporters clogged the street to welcome her on her return from the UK after three months of treatment.

The former prime minister arrived at Shahjalal International Airport around 5:15pm.

Her vehicle was stuck at Banani at 8:15pm on its way to her residence at Gulshan.

Those heading to the airport to take the flight abroad and the inbound air passengers also suffered due to additional security measures taken for Khaleda. The measures included closing the airport gates for an hour.

The BNP did not announce any reception for Khaleda, but the leaders and activists of the party and its affiliates stood on the street from the airport to Banani cramming the road and causing immense sufferings to the home-going people at the end of day's work.

The virtual shutdown of the Airport Road affected other parts of the city, commuters complained.

The BNP supporters occupied the street with banners and posters carrying slogans like 'Mother of Democracy' with Khaleda's photo on it. They also took out a motorcycle procession.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional DC Shahen Shah told bdnews24.com around 3pm that thousands of BNP leaders and activists were crossing Uttara towards the airport at the time.

They later gathered around the airport roundabout.

bdnews24.com Staff Correspondent Faysal Atik said the BNP leaders and activists were on the pavements on the Airport Road but descended on the street around 4:30pm, disrupting the traffic.

Later, they took out a procession from the airport roundabout to Kawla. The procession blocked the street completely.

The tailback of Uttara-bound traffic reached Kuril Biswa Raod, where the BNP's Narayanganj unit activists gathered.

"This is a BNP tide," Narayanganj BNP Organising Secretary Md Nazrul Islam Panna told bdnews24.com pointing to the huge crowd that thronged the street.

At Khilkhet, Nikunja, Shawrha, Kakoli and some other points, the BNP leaders brought musical bands.

Party leader Moudud Ahmed alleged police obstructed them from gathering on the street.

The law enforcers threatened legal steps on loudspeaker if someone was found stopping the traffic, but they did not take any action.

Sufferings of the air passengers

Many of the air passengers had to carry their luggage on foot for several kilometres to the airport while the inbound passengers waited at the parking lot for hours.

Nurul Alam said he bought a ticket for a 10pm flight to Saudi Arabia, but he had to wait for over an hour outside the airport in the afternoon.

Chandan Kumar, who came to receive a relative from the Maldives, said they waited at the parking lot for more than two hours.

One 'Isarul' from Comilla was heading to the airport with a travel bag on his shoulder.

He told bdnews24.com in front of the airport at 5:30pm that he had walked several kilometres from the Biswa Road to board an aircraft scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia at 8pm.

"I had to enter the airport by 6pm. So, I left the vehicle and started walking," he said.

Mizanur Rahman from Pabna said he had "no energy left to speak to the reporter after walking for two hours".

"I am not here to see the BNP's circus," an angry Mizanur, who was in a hurry to catch a flight to Saudi Arabia, said.

Khurshid Alam said it took him four hours to reach Dhaka from Laksham. He was also going to Saudi Arabia.

"But it took more time to reach the airport from Mohakhali," he said. It usually takes half an hour from Mohakhali to airport.