Asr prayer marks the beginning of an overwhelming surge in vehicular movement across Dhaka’s streets, with offices closing one after another from 4 pm onwards, taking traffic congestion to an unbearable level just before iftar.
A visit to several key roads in the capital on Tuesday revealed that while traffic remained relatively light until 2 pm, the volume begins to rise as the afternoon progresses.
As a result, major intersections, streets and even narrow alleyways become choked with vehicles, leading to prolonged gridlocks.
Regarding the pre-iftar traffic scenario, Abdus Salam, a traffic police officer stationed at Shantinagar, said, “From Asr prayer until right before Maghrib, the streets witness extreme congestion. Everyone wants to reach home and break their fast with their families. Since most people leave at the same time, traffic jams become inevitable.”
He further pointed out that intersections where flyovers or elevated expressway ramps merge with regular roads experience comparatively worse congestion.
Motorcyclist Alauddin shared his frustration, saying that traffic congestion this year seems to be worse than before.
CNG drivers’ protests cause severe traffic jam at Mohakhali
“Especially due to the large number of auto-rickshaws, moving even an inch has become a struggle. Previously, there was some space on the left lane for motorcycles, but now rickshaws occupy even that. As a result, bikers are forced to remain stuck in traffic for hours,” Alauddin said.
Rickshaw drivers, however, argue that the primary causes of increased congestion include indiscriminate bus stoppages, a surge in private vehicles, and a rising number of motorcycles on the streets.
Mostafizur Rahman, a private bank employee who commutes daily from his office in Motijheel to his home in Badda, expressed his exasperation.
“I leave my office at 4 PM, but by the time I reach home, it is already 6 PM. Sometimes, the call to prayer rings out just as I enter my building. Making it home before iftar has become a significant challenge.”
Hanif, a resident of Shantinagar, highlighted the severity of the situation. “A walk from Shantinagar to Ramna takes around 15 minutes. But if someone opts for a rickshaw ride during iftar hours, it can take up to an hour. Since everyone wants to break their fast with family, a special plan should be devised to reduce this unbearable congestion,” Hanif added.
Experts said that merely relying on traffic police to manage the situation is insufficient. Instead, citizens must be more responsible, and modern traffic management methods should be implemented to ensure better discipline on the roads, they said.