Sufferings all around
The ongoing student protest against the quota system in government jobs caused severe disruptions in Dhaka and other parts of the country, leaving people in severe misery.
Students have taken to the streets in at least eight districts, blocking roads and train routes.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Nusrat Jahan, stuck at Panthapath intersection, said, "I had urgent work. But the jam has extended to Dhanmondi. People are suffering a lot. I've been sitting on the road since 11:00am, and it's now 2:00pm."
DHAKA
With public transport at a standstill in many areas in the capital, people resorted to walking long distances. Commuters and office-goers faced challenges at key intersections, as buses could not ply through them.
Key intersections, such as Gulistan, Shahbagh, Banglamotor, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Science Lab, Agargaon, and Mohakhali, were blocked, which particularly affected the elderly and patients.
Jahanara Begum, who had just received treatment at a government hospital in Tejgaon, was returning with her mother when they got stuck at the Karwan Bazar rail gate area and had to walk to the intersection.
Bus driver Salam Hossain said he got stuck around 11:30am at Farmgate. "All the passengers got off. There's no way to turn the bus around. My day's earnings are lost."
At Kalshi intersection in Mirpur, Soniya Akhter waited over an hour for a bus but couldn't find any public transport. "Even when a bus came after a long time, there were so many passengers that I couldn't get on. I don't know how I'll get to the office," she added.
Nusrat Jahan, stuck at Panthapath intersection, said, "I had urgent work. But the jam has extended to Dhanmondi. People are suffering a lot. I've been sitting on the road since 11:00am, and it's now 2:00pm."
Students of Dhaka College blocked the Science Lab intersection, affecting patients and people on their way to various hospitals at Green Road and Dhanmondi.
Mehedi Hasan was caught in the blockade while taking his mother to Labaid Hospital in Dhanmondi from Old Dhaka. "I was taking my mother to the hospital for her chemotherapy," Mehedi told The Daily Star.
"No one let us through, even though I showed the students the medical papers," he said, adding, "I don't have any problem with the students' protest. However, how long will the people suffer?"
This newspaper spoke with 12 other patients with similar experiences.
TRAIN SERVICES DISRUPTED
Train services were also severely affected, with blockades in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, and Chattogram, causing massive delays and inconvenience.
In Karwan Bazar and Mohakhali, students blocked rail lines, severing Dhaka's rail communication with the rest of the country for five hours. From 12:00pm to 5:05pm, no trains departed from Dhaka.
In Mymensingh, students from Bangladesh Agricultural University blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh rail line for almost six hours, while in Chattogram, students of Chittagong University and other institutions blocked rail tracks from 11:00am to 5:30pm.
Rajib Kumar Barua, a Dhaka-bound Cox's Bazar Express passenger, was stuck at Sholoshahar Junction. "It's unbearable to wait for the train for hours inside a rail coach," he said.
NATIONWIDE BLOCKADES
In Savar, students from Jahangirnagar University blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway for over eight hours, leaving around 500 vehicles stuck and forcing thousands to walk.
In Rangpur, students from Begum Rokeya University blocked the Rangpur-Dhaka highway for almost three hours, while in Cumilla, Comilla University students blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram highway for over four hours.
Iqbal Hossain, a bus driver, said, "I left Chattogram with passengers. Now I am stuck in Kotbari. I heard that their movement will continue till evening. If that is the case, then I don't know what to do."
Students also staged blockades in Rajshahi and Barishal for several hours, causing massive suffering to commuters.
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