City getting back to normal after polls fever

The life in the capital started getting back to normal after much expected national elections and referendum held on Thursday.

The shopping malls and markets at different areas reopened on Friday, with the vehicular movement on the city streets and roads high on the day compared to Thursday (Feb 12) and Wednesday (Feb 11).

The number of passengers and customers were low despite the presence of an increased number of mass transports on the streets and roads and reopening of some shopping malls and markets.

Meanwhile after parliamentary polls and referendum, personnel (workers/ staffs) of both Dhaka city corporations were seen removing different sizes of banners, billboards, festoons and posters hanging on the roads and streets.

Visiting different areas including Kamalapur, Shahjahanpur, Malibagh, Ramna and Tejgaon areas, the FE correspondent found that a section of low-income group of people were also removing banners and festoons and collected those for use at home for cooking purposes.

A Dhaka South City Corporation worker who identified himself as Monir told the FE at Gulistan that they were instructed to remove all the banners, billboards as early as possible.

A significant number of mass transports (buses) were requisitioned by the police department for election purposes.

Public buses were seen plying on the roads but the number of passengers were low.

A bus driver named Suman told the FE at Gulistan on Friday that their bus was released Friday following the conclusion of a peaceful election.

At New Market and Gausia markets, the traders told the FE that they reopened their markets (shops) for the sake of their bread and butter.

Traders said that number of customers were low during morning time on Friday but were expecting the number would increase during afternoon and evening (Friday, Feb 13, 2026).

But the presence of customers at the makeshift shops on footpaths were significant on Friday.

City dwellers at different areas have praised the outgoing interim government as the voters have cast their votes freely after many years.

They said that that they were happy with the outcome of the election results.

"Public have much expectations from BNP. We are hopeful that some young leaders have also been elected. We hope that the economic scenario of the country will be better in the days to come," said Md Tamij Uddin, a trader at Gulistan area on Friday.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com