Dhaka: The capital city has been engulfed by fear since the morning due to a massive gathering of the country’s two major political parties, the Awami League and the BNP. No public transport can be seen on the roads.
In addition to buses, there are no CNG auto-rickshaws, ride-sharing cars, and other vehicles for hire. As a result, commuters have been facing a great deal of distress since the morning, and many have had to wait for several hours without finding any transportation. After a long wait, some are returning home without finding any means of transportation.
On Saturday (October 28), such scenes were observed in various parts of the capital, including Rampura, Khilkhet, Banani, and Kuril.
Ishrat Jahan Chaity, an employee of a private organization, stood at the Khilkhet bus stand in an attempt to go to the office. She mentioned that she had to wait for a long time without any bus or CNG ride. Ride-sharing services like Uber and Pathao were not available either. After waiting for a considerable amount of time, she managed to find a bus on one of the alternative routes. However, this is not the case for all routes.
Saurav Khondokar, a passenger waiting for a bus in Kuril, said the road conditions are very poor. When there are no buses on the road, it’s frustrating. If you say there are no buses on the road, it’s a lie. After waiting for half an hour, one by one, buses can be seen. But all the buses on different routes are full.
Additionally, some auto-rickshaws are operating in the Rampura TV Center area. However, due to the scarcity of public transport, they are charging more than double or even triple the regular fare.
Overall, ordinary commuters have been severely affected by the situation.
Mahbubur Rahman, the Organizational Editor of Dhaka Transport Owners Association, told BanglaNews that there is a concern due to the gathering of the two major parties. That’s why drivers have reduced the number of vehicles on the road. Furthermore, the political parties have increased bus fares significantly, contributing to the reduced number of buses on the road.
However, the transport leaders’ association has not provided any specific instructions regarding the reduced operation of vehicles.
On the other hand, BNP’s grand rally is scheduled to begin at South Gate of Newmarket at 2 p.m. Awami League’s gathering is set to commence at Baitul Mukarram’s South Gate at 2 p.m. as well. Additionally, if permission is not granted, the Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a rally at Shapla Chattar in the capital.
The LDP will gather in front of the Dhaka South City Corporation office at 2 p.m., the Ganotantrik Bam Oikya will gather in front of the National Press Club at noon, and the Labor Party will gather in Purana Paltan Mor at 4 p.m.
