Dhaka commuters suffer in traffic jams for nomination seekers, supporters

Huge processions of supporters of aspirants seeking tickets of the big two political parties for the December elections have triggered sufferings for the citizens of the capital.

Traffic congestions began at Dhanmondi after the Awami League began selling nomination forms at its chief’s political office on Friday.

Tailbacks started around the BNP headquarters at Naya Paltan on Monday after the party began distributing the forms.

At Dhanmondi, more than 3,000 people bought the Awami League’s nomination forms for the 300 seats in the first three days.

Most of the nomination seekers are going to the office with huge processions, including in motorbikes and cars, in a show of strength.

Youth and Sports Deputy Minister Arif Khan Joy, who was elected from Netrakona 3, went to collect the nomination form at 1pm on Monday.

Besides motorcycles and cars, he had buses, pickups and trucks in his convoy.

All the vehicles heading from Mohammadpur to Jigatala were slowed down by processions of the deputy minister’s supporters.

Other aspirants also brought similar processions.

‘Abdullah’, a worker of Midline Paribahan, said it took two hours from 10am for his bus to reach Dhanmondi from Mohammadpur.  

“The tailbacks started on Friday. The situation got worse yesterday (Sunday). I managed only two trips throughout the day yesterday. Today it took two hours to cross this short distance,” he told bdnews24.com.

Sumaya Zaman, a young woman, started walking to Lalbagh as no rickshawpuller agreed to take her through the traffic jam.

“It took three hours to return home yesterday. No rickshaw is coming in this direction due to the jams. Buses are also moving slowly. That’s why I’ve walked from Dhanmondi 9. I will take a rickshaw after crossing Jigatala,” she said.

Vehicles have to stop for long on one lane of the street no. 3 at Dhanmondi, on which the Awami League office is situated, due to the gatherings of the supporters of the aspirants.

The parked cars of the aspirants and their supporters have narrowed down the space for other vehicles to move on the street.

Students of the schools in the area suffered greatly. Their guardians had to face hassles to get their children or take them to the schools.

Hasibur Rahman Manik, who wants to run for Dhaka 7 with the Awami League’s boat logo, went to submit his nomination form around 2:15pm.

His convoy stopped traffic on both lanes of the Mirpur Road from Elephant Road to Jigatala via Science Laboratory intersection for hours.

Traffic police struggled to contain the jam at the time.

Huge gatherings of BNP aspirants and their supporters create traffic congestion at Naya Paltan in Dhaka on Monday. Photo: Abdullah Al Momin

“The traffic jams started on Friday. The bigger the procession, the worse the traffic gridlock. The situation is better today,” a traffic sergeant said.

The residents of Dhanmondi and the commuters who cross the area hope the congestions will go away after the end of the Awami League’s nomination form sale on Monday

At Naya Paltan, the BNP is selling the forms on Monday and Tuesday.

The aspirants and their supporters thronged the area when the sale began on Monday morning.

They parked their cars on the Inner Circular Road, creating tailbacks in the area.

The situation improved when police blocked a lane and diverted the vehicles to the other.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) SM Murad Ali said they were “managing” the problem after pressure of traffic increased in the two areas.

“A little bit of problem occurs when pressure is concentrated at one place. We are managing this with diversions,” he said.

The Election Commission has introduced online submission of nomination forms this time, but the political parties have not taken any visible step to take the opportunity.