Traffic chaos in capital as BCL celebrates founding anniv
Special Correspondent
Rallyists on their way to Dhaka University to attend the 69th founding anniversary of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) brought Dhaka and its outskirts to a virtual standstill yesterday. As they travelled towards the campus by trucks, buses and on foot, regular traffic moved at a snails pace for hours.
The traffic congestion had a cascading effect on the suburbs like Jatrabari in the south and Uttara and Gulshan in the north, forcing many to walk long distances to their destinations. Vehicles were stuck for hours on the flyovers from Jatrabari to Gulistan and Mahakhali. The elderly and children suffered the most.
Two traffic officers were found desperately trying torestore traffic flow on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue at the Shahbagh intersection. They said the situation was beyond their control. A woman, who was unable to find any transport to Farm Gate on her way to office at Tejgaon Industrial area, had to walk all the way from New Market. Farm Gate perhaps had the most traffic congestion all the way from Shahbagh.
Some rickshaw drivers tried to pedal their way through the congestion, charging extra fares from passengers. But they were soon lost in the mess and ended up contributing further to it.
The effects of the congestion were felt till evening.The area where Shahid Mansur Ali Road terminates at the Moghbazar flyover was affected even worse because a power company was laying underground high-tension power cables there.
BSS adds: The 69th founding anniversary of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of Awami League, was celebrated in the city and elsewhere across the country yesterday with fanfare and festivity.
On the occasion, the BCL placed wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi at 6.30 am and cut cakes at Dhaka University Curzon Hall at 8 am.
A colourful procession was brought out from the Aparajeya Bangla on Dhaka University campus and ended at Bangabandhu Avenues BCL central office premises parading different streets of the city including Shahbag, Doel Chhattar, Matshaw Bhaban, Jatiya Press Club, Paltan Intersection, and GPO areas.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, also the Road, Transport and Bridges Minister, inaugurated the rally at about 12 noon.
Apart from the central unit, leaders and workers of BCL from all other units including Dhaka University, Dhaka South and North of BCL, Jahangirnagar University, Jagannath University, Eden College, Home Economic, Badrunnesa College and Dhaka College took part in the rally.
BCL President Saifur Rahman Sohag, General Secretary SM Jakir Hossain, Office Secretary Delwar Hossain Shahjada, DU unit President of BCL Abid-Al-Hasan and Geneal Secretary Motahar Hossain Prince, among others, were present there.
The largest student organization having glorious heritage of struggle and success, the BCL came into being on January 4 in 1948 at the instruction of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with view to attaining the countrys independence.
