Supporters of the BNP leader block key points of the roads bringing traffic to nearby areas to a standstill

Supporters of Ishraque Hossain have blocked the roads around Matsya Bhaban and Kakrail to press home their demand that the BNP leader be sworn in as Dhaka South mayor.

The sit-ins on Wednesday have brought traffic in nearby areas to a halt.

Ishraque’s supporters, who had demanded the oath-taking be completed by 10am on Wednesday, have launched fresh demonstrations to press home their demands.

They staged sit-ins in front of the High Court, Matsya Bhaban, Kakrail Intersection and State Guest House Jamuna in droves. The roads in front of Matsya Bhaban and Kakrail Mosque have remained closed since 11am, but ambulances carrying patients are being allowed through.

From 11am onwards, traffic movement came to a grinding halt on several key stretches — from Kadam Fountain to Matsya Bhaban via Shahbagh-Kakrail, from Shahbagh to National Press Club through Matsya Bhaban and Kakrail, and from the Kakrail Church intersection to the InterContinental Dhaka hotel via Kakrail Mosque.

The blockade triggered severe congestion on adjacent roads as vehicles were forced to reroute, leading to an overwhelming traffic bottleneck.

A group of secondary school teachers from Mymensingh’s Fulbaria, travelling to a programme outside the National Press Club, became stranded near Matsya Bhaban around 11:15am when their Alam Asia Paribahan bus got stuck.

Some continued on foot, while others were forced to remain behind.

Around 1:45pm, the bus reversed direction and left via the area near the International Mother Language Institute.

Sirajul Islam, a passenger on the bus, said that “We were stuck in the same spot for nearly two and a half hours. We were already running late because of the programme here.

“The event ended, so we didn’t go in the end.”

Two Ramjan Paribahan buses, operating on the Mohammadpur–Rampura route, were right behind.

They too had to retreat and divert.

Alamgir Hossain, a helper on one of the buses, said, “No one stopped us when we entered near Kakrail Mosque, but we ended up waiting here for more than two hours.

“All the passengers got off. Now we’ll return via Moghbazar.”

Sarwar Alam, a businessman commuting from ECB Chattar in Dhaka Cantonment to Phulbaria BRTC bus stand, was stranded at the Kakrail Church intersection in an autorickshaw.

He abandoned the vehicle and continued on foot. “I have to catch a bus from there by 2:30pm,” he said. “If I sit here any longer, I’ll miss it. Walking is the only option now.”

Sultan Ali, the autorickshaw driver, said, “I left ECB around 11:30am, reached Mohakhali at 12, and have been struggling through the jam since then.

“It took over two hours to get here. Now, the vehicle won’t move an inch.”

Pickup driver Naimul Islam, who departed Uttara at 11am en route to Babubazar Bridge, said it took him an hour to reach Saat Rasta and another two hours to travel from there to Kakrail. “I usually take the route through Kakrail Mosque, Matsya Bhaban, and Gulistan.

“[On Wednesday], I’ve had to reroute through Bijoynagar because of the traffic, but it’s packed everywhere.”

Motorbiker Maruf Hasan, who was trying to reach Matsya Bhaban via Kadam Fountain, was stopped by a barricade before the High Court.

Frustrated, he said, “Whatever the issue is, it’s always the ordinary people who have to suffer. If Ishraque has a problem with Asif, they should deal with it privately—not by blocking roads and making everyone’s life difficult.”

Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Division Mostafizur Rahman said that with Matsya Bhaban, Kakrail Mosque, and Hare Road all closed off, traffic is being rerouted via alternate roads.

“As a result, traffic volume has surged in Moghbazar, Kakrail, and Shahbagh,” he said. “We’re turning vehicles coming from Kakrail towards the Moghbazar flyover and diverting those from Moghbazar left into the Kakrail intersection.

“From Kadam Fountain, vehicles are being sent via National Press Club and Paltan. We’re trying to keep the roads functional,” the officer added.

Supporters of Ishraque have been demonstrating since May 14, demanding his swearing-in as the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayor.

Until Tuesday, they camped outside Nagar Bhaban.

They had warned that if the oath was not administered by 10am on Wednesday, they would launch tougher programmes.

The DSCC labour union activists also threatened to suspend all civic services within the corporation area if their demand was not addressed.

As the deadline passed without progress, Ishraque’s supporters left Nagar Bhaban and moved to occupy the areas around Matsya Bhaban and Kakrail.

“We had given the government until 10am [Wednesday],” said Russel Mahmud, one of Ishraque’s supporters. “Since they took no action, we’ve taken up positions across the city. We won’t stop until our demand is met.”

Over the past few days, the sit-in at Nagar Bhaban has rendered the city corporation headquarters practically non-functional, halting all administrative activity and inconveniencing service seekers.

Due to the Local Government Division’s office being housed inside Nagar Bhaban, Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has also been unable to enter his office.

The dispute originates from the Dhaka South City election held on Feb 1, 2020, in which Ishraque, the son of former Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, lost to Awami League’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh by nearly 200,000 votes.

Following the government change, the Dhaka Election Tribunal nullified that result on Mar 27 and declared Ishraque the rightful mayor.

The Election Commission (EC) issued a gazette on Apr 27 confirming the decision, but the formal swearing-in ceremony has yet to be held.

He, however, has yet to be sworn in, prompting his supporters to intensify their movement to have him formally assume office.