Students of Dhaka's Government Titumir College have blocked roads again, demanding the institution's upgrade to a university.
The protest caused significant traffic congestion throughout the capital, particularly impacting commuters from morning to night.
Thursday’s protest, centered in Mohakhali, paralyzed key routes and disrupted traffic flow, especially affecting preparations for the Ijtema event in Tongi.
By 9pm, students remained on the streets, some lying down and others chanting slogans.
Key roads, including those from Moghbazar to Gulshan-Banani, New Market, Kolabagan, Badda, Rampura, and Bijoy Sarani, were blocked for hours, leaving thousands stranded.
Commuters who left their offices in the Mohakhali-Gulshan area at 5pm were still unable to reach home three hours later.
Passengers from distant areas like Uttara and Tongi were forced to walk after their buses came to a standstill. Others remained stuck in buses with their luggage, waiting helplessly.
The situation was particularly critical for those in urgent need of medical care.
A woman traveling from Uttara with her 3-year-old son to Dhaka Medical College Hospital had to walk from Mohakhali. She criticized the students for their actions, stating: "They should voice their demands through representatives, not cause trouble for people like us."
Another traveller Shafiul Islam expressed frustration, saying: "The common people of this country live in uncertainty, with rising prices and increased risks. No one has the right to add to our struggles."
Hafiz Mia, stuck in traffic at 4pm after leaving Gulistan at noon for Tejgaon, complained: "I can't even walk because of my goods. I'm unsure when I'll reach my destination."
At 3:30pm in Tejgaon, 65-year-old Abed Ali expressed his frustration, saying he got off near a bus stop and started walking towards Karwan Bazar, but all the side streets were blocked.
Traffic officials were working hard to manage the situation.
Tania Sultana, deputy commissioner of Traffic for Tejgaon, said: “The movement by the Titumir College students has affected the entire Mohakhali and Tejgaon areas. Vehicles moving very slowly, which is causing severe traffic congestion. We are coordinating with the local authorities to keep the regular traffic flow intact. We’re trying to redirect traffic via the Elevated Expressway to ease the congestion.”
Ziaur Rahman, deputy commissioner of traffic for the Gulshan Division, noted that they had tried to manage the traffic by directing vehicles from Uttara to use the flyovers.
"We're also directing vehicles from the opposite side towards Banani to help maintain traffic flow," he said. "Since it's Thursday and tomorrow is the Ijtema, we're implementing diversions to manage the situation as best as possible."
Other protests
In the south of Dhaka, Dhania University College students blocked roads for a few hours in protest of the murder of Minhajul Islam, causing severe traffic jams on highways to Narayanganj, Sylhet, and Chittagong.
The blockage lasted two hours before being cleared.
Meanwhile, battery-run autorickshaw drivers protested alleged police extortion on the Dhaka-Aricha highway, halting traffic for half an hour.
Additionally, dismissed policemen and their families blocked the road near Shikkha Bhaban, disrupting traffic after being stopped by law enforcement.
These protests severely impacted Dhaka's traffic flow the entire day on Thursday.
