Thousands of supporters and activists poured into the Kalabagan ground in Dhaka to attend Awami League's campaign rally this afternoon, causing gridlocks on the roads in adjoining areas.

Barricades were put on Mirpur Road in front of Dhaka City College, Alliance Française Dhaka at 2:00pm to restrict vehicular movement from Science Lab to Kalabagan.

Buses and cars are stuck in long lines from Sukrabad to New Market areas on Mirpur Road, while many commuters were seen exiting vehicles and walking towards their destinations.

"I was headed for New Market and it took me more that an hour and a a half to reach Dhanmondi 27 from Aminbazar area," Sohanur Rahman, who works at a private firm, told our correspondent.

Buses and other vehicles that carried the activists from different areas have been parked on the roads, adding to the traffic congestion.

Raid Hasan, a college student, said around 3:00pm that he was stuck at New Market for the last one hour.

Meanwhile, the rally started after 2:00pm at the Kalabagan ground, where thousands of leaders and supporters of AL and its associate bodies gathered chanting "Sheikh Hasina once more".

Dhaka south and north metropolitan units of Awami League organised the programme.

Rally participants, who came from different areas, including the districts near the capital, vowed to stand for the party in a demonstration of AL's formidable strength at the grassroots level.

They came in small and large groups, donning colorful T-shirts, caps, playing drums and other musical instruments.

The Awami League officially started its voting campaign on December 20 with Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina's visit to the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal and Shahparan and an election rally at Alia Madrasa ground in Sylhet.

After that, she is held rallies in Barishal, Gopalganj, Madaripur and virtual rallies in different districts as well as rallies in different divisions.