Police search at Dhaka entry points frustrates passengers

The police are carrying out extensive searches in Savar ahead of rallies of the Awami League and BNP on Wednesday in the capital. 

As part of security measures, passenger vehicles are not being allowed to enter the capital which has created immense suffering for commuters.

However, the police say due to security reasons, police activities are going on at the entry points of Dhaka.

Since Wednesday morning, public transport movement on various roads of Savar has been limited.

Passengers and transport-related persons said they have had to return from Aminbazar as buses are not being allowed to enter Dhaka. 

Many left on foot instead of waiting for a long time for buses.

Khairul Mamun, an employee said: “Every morning I go to my office in Shyamoli in Dhaka by bus from Ashulia. But this morning I got a bus after waiting for about an hour at the Palli Bidyut stand. However, due to traffic, I got off the bus and walked before Aminbazar. After crossing the Aminbazar police check post on foot, I again boarded a local bus inside Dhaka and came to Shyamoli.”

Dhaka Tribune

He also said many policemen are searching the buses entering Dhaka in Aminbazar and checking their papers. Basically, the buses are being diverted from Aminbazar and are not being allowed to enter Dhaka. As a result, there is a long traffic jam from Aminbazar to Hemayetpur. 

“Many ordinary passengers are coming to Aminbazar on foot from Hemayetpur. The sun is so intense that it is causing additional suffering. The Police are not allowing buses to enter Dhaka in the name of unnecessary searches. It is nothing but harassment of the masses,” he added.

A bus owner, wishing anonymity, said no bus was allowed to cross the police check post in Aminbazar in the morning. So the buses come back to Savar from Aminbazar.

Dipak Chandra Saha, officer-in-charge (OC) of Savar model police station, said they received information about the two militants who escaped from the court premises in Dhaka. They might use this route. So a special operation is going on to arrest the militants. 

Check posts have been set up at Aminbazar, Birulia and Ashulia, the gateways to Dhaka, since early morning, said the OC.