The capital city is ensnared in chaos and gridlock as the country's two largest political parties, Awami League and BNP, organize colossal gatherings at their desired venues.
The streets have been emptied of any form of public transportation, leaving daily commuters in a state of distress since early morning on Saturday.
The city's public transportation, including buses, CNGs (Compressed Natural Gas auto-rickshaws), ride-sharing services, and privately-owned vehicles, are conspicuously absent from the roads. As a result, daily commuters have been grappling with disrupted routines and significant delays since the crack of dawn.
This Saturday witnessed an unprecedented commotion in various areas of Dhaka, including Gulistan, Paltan, Ramna, Rampura, Khilkhet, Banani, and Kuril, where the absence of public transportation options was glaringly apparent.
Ishrat Jahan Chaiti, a private sector employee stranded at Khilkhet Bus Stand, lamented her plight. Despite enduring lengthy waits, neither buses nor CNGs were in sight. Ride-sharing services, like Pathao, were also notably inaccessible. After hours of anticipation, some passengers ultimately opted to return home in the face of transportation scarcity.
Saurabh Khondakar, another stranded passenger in Kuril, divulged that road conditions were deteriorating rapidly. With buses remaining elusive, commuters often decided to head home. Occasionally, a bus would arrive after a prolonged delay, but this, too, did not guarantee availability on one's preferred route.
In some pockets of the city, such as Ramna TV Center, autorickshaws continued to operate. However, due to the scarcity of public transportation, they resorted to charging fares significantly above the standard rates.
These disruptions have caused a significant ripple effect throughout the day, resulting in long hours of delay and immense inconvenience for daily commuters.
The organizational editor of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association, Mahbubur Rahman, shed light on the situation. He pointed out that apprehensions regarding the political rallies of the two major parties had led to a voluntary reduction in the number of vehicles on the road.
Moreover, some political parties has hired a large of vehicles, exacerbated the shortage of available buses.
The transport organization has not issued any explicit directives concerning the reduced operation of vehicles, leaving passengers grappling with uncertainty.
The grand BNP rally is scheduled to commence at 2:00 pm with permission granted by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) under certain conditions from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Naya Paltan.
Ganatantra Mancha, the 12-party alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Gonotantrik Bam Oikya, Gono Forum, People's Party, LDP, Labor Party, Gana Adhikar Parishad (Noor), Gana Adhikar Parishad (Reza Kibria), and NDM are among the groups set to hold rallies.
Various other political parties set to hold rallies across Dhaka, AB Party will hold rally at Vijay Nagar at 11:00 am, the Janata Adhikar Party at 2:00 pm near the Vijaynagar water tank, Sadharon Chaatra Odhikar Parishad at 3:00 pm in front of the National Museum and the Jatiyatabadi Peshajibi Parishad at 11:00 am in front of the National Press Club, each highlighting their unique concerns and demands.
