Mobile phone traders who blocked the Sonargaon crossing in the capital’s Karwan Bazar area and Jamuna Future park area of Kuril Bishwa Road on Wednesday evening demanding reforms to the proposed National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) policy, have withdrawn their blockade after more than two and a half hours.

The traders began their protest around 6pm, placing barricades at the busy Sonargaon crossing, which soon caused severe traffic congestion stretching to several parts of Dhaka.

At the same time, another group of telecom traders obstructed traffic near Jamuna Future Park on Kuril Bishaw Road towards Natun Bazar, halting vehicular movement from Kuril towards Badda.

The blockade led to heavy tailbacks in the surrounding areas.

Tejgaon Traffic Police ADC Tania Sultana said the traders’ sudden demonstration at Sonargaon crossing brought traffic to a complete standstill, affecting major connecting roads. “The impact spilled over into multiple adjoining areas,” she said, adding that traffic movement gradually resumed around 8:45pm once the traders withdrew the barricades.

Witnesses said the protesters gathered at the Karwan Bazar roundabout shortly after evening and ignited debris on the road as part of their demonstration. Traffic from Karwan Bazar towards Shahbagh, Rampura, Panthapath and Farmgate was severely disrupted, leaving thousands of commuters stranded during peak hours.

The suspension of movement on several major routes caused significant hardship for office-goers returning home and others on the road.

Gulshan Division Additional Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) Ziaur Rahman said the barricade in front of Jamuna Future Park was also placed around 6:00pm by another group of phone traders. “They withdrew their programme at around 8:45pm, after which vehicular movement slowly returned to normal,” he added.