For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
After a week of unrest amid quota movement protests that crippled the economy, offices, factories, banks and the stock market have opened for a second day in Dhaka as severe traffic jams roads.
Cars accounted for most of the traffic on the road. There was very little public transport available, according to bdnews24.com.
Commuters faced difficulties along the Mirpur, Agargaon, Farm, Karwan Bazar, Gulistan and Motijheel routes as metro rail service was suspended.
The government relaxed the curfew from 10am to 5pm on Wednesday and Thursday. Offices, banks, capital markets and garment factories were opened.
On Thursday, regular traffic was seen on the capital’s main roads in Mirpur, Agargaon, Mohakhali, ECB intersection, Banani, Kakrail, Malibagh, Rampura, and Paltan. Besides rickshaws, motorcycles, autorickshaws, and private vehicles, there was a smattering of buses and other forms of public transport.
More banks opened on Thursday, resulting in larger crowds on streets with branches.
Commercial activity buzzed in Malibagh, Shantinagar, Kakrail, Bijoynagar, Fakirerpul, Naya Paltan, Purana Paltan and Gulistan and cars took to the streets in large numbers there. There were a few buses and other public transport too. However, severe traffic jams were evident.
Homemaker Shahida Kamal brought her son to a tutoring session at Malibagh’s Hosaf Tower.
It took them one hour to reach Malibagh from Rampura, she said. The rickshaw nearly came to a standstill at the Chowdhury Para and Abul Hotel intersections due to traffic jams, she said. Finally, she left the rickshaw and walked to their destination.
‘‘This traffic jam was caused by the lack of traffic police. Regular life has become unbearable,” Shahida said.
Vehicles were moving at a snail’s pace in Bijoynagar and Purana Paltan.
Many people go to the Motijheel Commercial Area in the morning for commercial purposes, said Subid Ali, who works at the Shadharan Bima Corporation. He said people have many tasks to finish, especially on the final day of the week. As a result, traffic was heavy, he said.
‘‘Now it is 11 am. All cars have been stuck on Naya Paltan Road for the last half an hour. There’s a severe jam at the Fakirerpul intersection. Think of Dhaka’s roads two days ago with only rickshaws and ambulances. Today the situation is the complete opposite,” said Karim Mia, a betel leaf and cigarette vendor who sets up shop near the Nightingale Restaurant intersection in Kakrail.
Hajera Bibi, on the other hand, was very happy to be able to get out of the house after a long time. She was facing some financial difficulties being stuck at home and was now travelling from Mirpur to Mohakhali DOHS.
“I am a disabled person and don’t have a husband or children. A senior officer gives me money every month. The month is about to end, but I couldn’t go to collect the money. Today I’m going there.”
”I was in deep trouble. They said they could send me money via bKash. But they also kept Qurbani meat for me. That can’t be sent over bKash.”
However, women passengers were facing difficulties getting onto the few crowded buses operating on the Uttara-Abdullahpur and ECB-Banani-Kakoli-Mohakhali routes.
The bus drivers were heard asking their helpers not to allow women passengers to get on as the buses were already overcrowded with passengers hanging out the doors.
“Not all buses have started running yet. Hence, very few buses are on the roads. It’ll return to normal in two or three days,” said bus driver Sumon.
Sourav, a private sector worker, said there was no blockade on the road, but the regular traffic jams.
He spoke of heavy congestion in the Mohakhali area, but bdnews24.com did not find too heavy a snarl of public transport in the area.
The congestion gave rickshaws and push-cart drivers the most trouble.
“I was going to Motijheel from Gulbagh. I took all the lanes but got stuck at Kakrail. Later, my passenger got off. I couldn’t earn the Tk 100 fare we had agreed to, but he gave me Tk 40,” said rickshaw driver Hossain Ali.
‘‘I can’t move forward, nor back,” he said.
Students and job seekers had staged a protest movement since the start of July, demanding reforms to the quota system in government jobs.
They staged a ‘Bangla Blockade’ and then declared a ‘complete shutdown.’ Violence began to spark around the protests, leading to a crackdown on law enforcers.
At least 200 people were killed in clashes as the government deployed the army and imposed a curfew across the country.
The curfew took effect at midnight on Saturday, but was relaxed for a few hours every day.
The home ministry ordered the curfew to be relaxed for seven hours on Wednesday and Thursday and government offices were open from 11am to 3pm.