Commuters in Dhaka remained stuck for hours in unusual traffic jam on Sunday morning after light rain lashed the capital. Commuters who usually use Abdullahpur-Khilkhet and Airport-Mohakhali roads are the worst sufferers . Students and office-goers suffered immensely due to traffic chaos at several points in Dhaka, including Tongi, Uttara, Airport, Mohakhali, Bijoy Sarani and Bangla Motor areas. Vehicles were seen stranded for hours on these roads in the morning. Also Read: Light morning rain brings some relief for Dhaka Apart from the rain, VVIP movement and construction work of a foot over bridge in front of Jamuna Future Park in the city caused the traffic gridlock, a senior traffic officer (north division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) told UNB preferring anonymity. He said they are working to ease the traffic movement . Shakawat Hossain Shipon, a private service holder, said he went out of his Gazipur residence to go to Noakhali in the early morning but could not reach Abdullahpur bus stand even after around two and a half hours.  “I don’t know when I will be able to reach home as vehicles remained stranded on the road for hours,” he said. Like him, many commuters suffered immensely on gridlocked roads today.  

Dhaka commuters have been stuck in massive traffic jam since this morning (January 12, 2023) as a 22km long tailback has formed from Tongi Bridge to Moghbazar in the city. The gridlock stretched from Tongi Bridge-Abdullahpur-Airport to Mohakhali-Moghbazar areas of Dhaka — causing untold sufferings for commuters.  Vehicular movement in parts of Dhaka came to a standstill for hours due to the huge pressure of Ijtema-bound vehicles in Tongi. Read More: Air quality: Dhaka world’s 3rd most polluted city this morning

Dhaka Metropolitan Police have requested commuters to avoid the route from Khilkhet through Uttara to Gazipur today (October 25, 2022), due to a long tailback. Uttara Traffic Department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police issued an alert, saying that heavy rains induced by the Cyclone Sitrang has caused waterlogging at different points in Gazipur on Dhaka-Mymensingh road. Read Dhaka office-goers stuck in gridlock, traffic jam from Khilkhet to Abdullahpur Due to the big holes in the road and waterlogging, vehicle movement from Khilkhet through Uttara to Mohakhali has been seriously disrupted, it said. In this situation, commuters are requested to not use the Khilkhet-Uttara-Gazipur route unless urgent.

Different roads in Dhaka went under water due to heavy rains triggered by Cyclone Sitrang, causing traffic gridlock that left no options for commuters but to suffer terribly. Md Omar Faruq, a meteorologist of Bangladesh Metrological Department, told UNB that 255 mm rains were recorded in 24 hours till 6 am on Tuesday (October 25, 2022). As Sitrang hit the country’s coastal areas on Monday (October 24, 2022) night, nearly all parts of Bangladesh including the capital experienced heavy rains and storm that uprooted trees or killed people and disconnected power transmission lines. Read Cyclone Sitrang: Dhaka-Khulna & Dhaka-Barishal highways reopen after 10 hours City Corporation workers were seen removing uprooted trees from Dhaka roads in the morning. Office-goers and others remained stuck on roads for hours in the morning as traffic movement was slow due to waterlogging.

Due to traffic gridlock caused by an ongoing Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) project, police have requested Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport-bound passengers to leave their homes early so that they can arrive on time. Traffic (Uttara Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) urged the passengers to do so as the work of the project has narrowed the road to the airport. Read: Salman dissatisfied with services at airport DMP Joint Commissioner (Traffic North) Abu Saleh Md Raihan said vehicle movement has been suspended in three lanes of the road, leading to heavy congestion. "So, airport-bound passengers need to set out ahead of time." "As the road has been separated into two, passengers need to stick to the left lane after passing Le Méridien Dhaka and Kawla. Those travelling from Khilkhet to Uttara or to Gazipur need to head out early," he added.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday blamed the traffic gridlock on highways ahead of Eid-ul-Azha on the “faulty management and lack of coordination” but not on the condition of roads. He was talking to reporters at the Secretariat as offices reopened on Tuesday after four days of Eid vacation. Quader claimed that the road situation across the country was better this time. “There was no traffic tailback on the road in this year. Though some reports of tailbacks were received, that happened due to faulty management and lack of coordination. The crisis was seen in Northern parts of the country, Quader said. He said the pre-Eid opening of Padma Bridge made smooth the travel to the southern region. He defended the ban on the movement of motorbikes on the highways saying it was necessary to prevent accidents. Read: Padma Bridge starts by raking in over Tk 1 million an hour The minister hoped that the Dhaka Metro Rail will be launched by end of December this year and the Dhaka Elevated Express Way by end of next year.  

The city commuters endured  untold sufferings on Tuesday due to severe traffic snarls triggered by the clashes between Dhaka college students and traders in the city’s New Market area. Vehicular movement in different parts of the city came to a standstill for hours under the impact of the violence in New Market and adjoining areas. Also read:Those responsible for New Market violence to face action: Home Minister Many commuters were seen standing under the scorching heat as all roads were clogged with vehicles, many turning off the engines.  Over 30 people including journalists and students were injured on Tuesday as students of Dhaka College locked into a series of renewed clashes with traders of New Market at Nilkhet intersection in the city. The whole area turned into a battleground after a fresh clash erupted between them around 10 am as a sequel to a clash Monday midnight, said witnesses. The clashes disrupted vehicular movement from Science Lab to Azimpur and created a long tailback on Mirpur Road and adjacent areas. During a reality check in city’s Science Lab, Russel Square, Asadgate, Bijoysarani, Jahangir Gate, Mohakhali, Kakoli, Badda Progoti Sarani, Kakrail, Mouchak, Malibag, this UNB correspondent saw that a chaotic situation was created in these areas forcing many people to walk on foot to reach their destinations. A couple of ambulances with critical patients were seen stuck up in the jam with relatives pleading for help. Also read:Violent clashes erupt again between Dhaka College students, traders; over 30 hurt Meanwhile, Joint commissioner (Traffic North) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP, Abu Saleh Md Raihan, said the pressure of vehicle is also a main reason for traffic jams as many people were heading towards shopping malls. He also said the impact of the clash between Dhaka College students and traders that halted vehicular movement from New Market area to Nilkhet intersection was the main reason behind today’s traffic havoc. The gridlock turned acute in the afternoon after office hours with thousands leaving work places.

The capital city was stuck up for hours in terrible traffic gridlocks on Tuesday, causing untold sufferings to the dwellers, including school children. After a reality check in different parts of the capital including Asadgate, Khilgaon, Moghbazar, Mohammadpur and Dhanmondi areas the UNB reporter found huge tailbacks in many alleys and main roads especially near schools and colleges. Read: Commuters suffer in gridlock after sudden shower’s relief

Students from different colleges staged a demonstration on Rampura Road again on Wednesday to press home their 11-point demand, including road safety, and issuance of a gazette over half fare in public transport for students across the country. Several hundred students of different colleges, including Ekramunnesa School and College, Imperial College and Siddheshwari Girls’ College, took to the streets around 11 am. They were also seen checking the documents of vehicles, licences and fitness certificates, slowing down traffic on Malibagh-Rampur Road. Read:Students being used to destabilize country: Information Minister A traffic gridlock was created from Kuril Biswa Road to Rampur bridge area following the student demonstration. Haris Mahmud, a student, said they will sit on the same road again on Thursday for one hour from 1 PM if their demands are not met by the authorities concerned by the time. However, the traffic returned to normalcy around 2 pm after the students left the road.