Dhaka choked by gridlock as thousands head to Jamaat’s rally

Massive traffic congestion paralysed key areas of Dhaka today as thousands of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami supporters from all over the country converged on Suhrawardy Udyan for the party's national rally.

Severe gridlock was reported since morning across major intersections including Shahbagh, Bangla Motor, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Matsya Bhaban, Kakrail, Paltan and Jatrabari.

Vehicular movement came to a standstill from Shahbagh to Matsya Bhaban after Jamaat activists occupied roads in and around the intersection.

Long tailbacks caused significant delays, leaving many commuters stranded for hours. Several resorted to walking long distances to reach their destinations due to the suspension of public transport on multiple routes.

Photo: Palash Khan

According to sources, around 10,000 Jamaat volunteers were deployed to manage the crowd and coordinate traffic flow, particularly around Shahbagh.

However, traffic across central Dhaka remained sluggish, overwhelmed by processions arriving from different parts of the country. 

As vehicles remained stuck, many people were seen walking from Nawabpur towards Purana Paltan via Zero Point. 
Alongside the large number of Jamaat-e-Islami activists, ordinary pedestrians were also making their way on foot to various destinations. 

However, very few female pedestrians were seen on the roads.

Traffic Constable Kazi Zaman, stationed near Golap Shah Mazar in Gulistan, told The Daily Star that vehicle movement was slow before 1:00pm but completely stalled afterwards. "The situation hasn't improved since," he added.

Around 1:30pm in Gulistan, The Daily Star spoke with Md Mohsin Mridha, a driver of a Shadhin Express bus. 
"It took me about 35 minutes to drive from Golap Shah Mazar to Zero Point," he said. "Now the bus is completely stuck."

Mohsin, whose bus was heading to Mirpur, said, "Due to the traffic jam, we can't move forward or backward. After reaching Nawabpur, many passengers got off the bus upon seeing the gridlock."

The rally began around 9:40am with a cultural segment and has drawn Jamaat leaders and activists from numerous districts, travelling by buses, trains and launches. Vehicles bearing the party's symbol further contributed to the congestion around the venue.

Heavy traffic was also reported on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, especially in the Jatrabari area, as buses and microbuses carrying rally participants clogged the road.

Photo: Amran Hossain

A traffic jam stretching several kilometres has been created on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Jatrabari, eyewitnesses said.

Juliana Ferdous, a resident of Jatrabari, told The Daily Star that she was unable to take her son to a coaching centre in Matuail due to the traffic.

Another local, Monirul Haq, said the majority of vehicles on the highway were carrying Jamaat supporters, noting the unusually high number of microbuses heading to the rally.

Bus shortages were reported on multiple routes, including Narayanganj, Chattogram Road, Sonargaon and Madanpur, disrupting regular services.

The rally, scheduled for 2:00pm at Suhrawardy Udyan, is being held to press home the party's seven-point demand for ensuring free, fair, impartial and peaceful national elections. Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman is presiding over the event, where top national leaders are expected to speak.

The party's demands include: the trial of all mass killings; essential fundamental reforms; implementation of the July Charter and Declaration; rehabilitation of families of those killed or injured in the July mass uprising; holding the next general election under a proportional representation system; and securing voting rights for over one crore expatriates.