After blocking the roads for nine hours, families of those killed in the July uprising have left Shahbagh.
The protesters vacated the area around 7:30pm on Thursday, allowing traffic to return to normal in the vicinity.
Earlier, family members of those killed in the July uprising staged a demonstration by blocking roads in Shahbagh on Thursday morning, demanding justice for the killings that took place during the July-August mass uprising.
The blockade led to hours of traffic suspension at Shahbagh intersection, causing severe congestion on surrounding roads.
By the evening, the number of vehicles on the roads increased further, forcing many commuters to spend extended hours on their way home. Some opted to walk to their destinations to avoid the gridlock.
A visit to the scene revealed that traffic was moving slowly from Shahbagh towards Kawran Bazar, Farmgate, Asad Gate, and Dhanmondi.
Severe congestion was observed on routes through Panthapath, Kalabagan, Science Lab, Shahbagh, and New Market. Gridlocks were also reported in Mirpur, Gulistan, and parts of Old Dhaka.
Monirul Islam, a businessman heading to Shahbagh, said he decided to walk the rest of the way from Kawran Bazar due to the jam.
At around 5:30pm, Sumiya Akhter, travelling by rickshaw from Dhanmondi to Bashundhara Shopping Mall, was stuck in front of Square Hospital. After waiting briefly, she decided to walk, saying she could not afford to sit in traffic for long.
A traffic officer from the Dhanmondi zone said congestion remained high on Panthapath, though it had slightly eased in Mirpur Road and Science Lab areas.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Tejgaon division Assistant Commissioner (traffic) Snehashis Kumar Das said: “Traffic increases in the afternoon and worsens in the evening.”
He added: “The prolonged blockade at Shahbagh has caused congestion in surrounding areas, particularly at Banglamotor, Kawran Bazar, in front of Bashundhara City, and Tejgaon. We expect the situation to persist into the evening and are working to restore normal flow.”
Family members of the deceased occupied Shahbagh from 10am, vowing to continue their blockade until their demands were met. As of 5:30pm, the blockade remained in place.
Among the protesters was Idris, father of Maruf Hossain, a second-year student at Barisal Ekata Degree College who was shot dead by police on July 19. Idris, who sells street food, said that five months had passed since filing a case, yet no justice had been served.
He also said: "Sheikh Hasina must be hanged immediately. If the Yunus government does not comply, he should step down. He has come to power over my son's blood. I demand justice for my son's murder."
He further added: "There will be no elections in this country without reforms. First, my son's killers must be brought to justice; then, we will accept whoever comes to power."
Abu Bakar Sikder, father of Hafizul Sikder, also joined the protest. Hafizul was shot by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in Badda on July 20 and later died at Mugda Medical College Hospital.
“My son was shot while returning home during curfew. Another rickshaw puller took him to the hospital, but he didn’t survive,” said Abu Bakar. “I demand justice and support to survive.”
Nazma Akhter, mother of Zahidul Islam Shuvo, a construction worker killed by police gunfire in Uttara, said her son was their only breadwinner.
“Now I have no one. I don’t know how to pay my rent,” she said.
Jatiya Nagorik Committee Chief Organizer Sarjis Alam visited Shahbagh to speak with the families of the deceased.
However, the families of the victims declared that they would continue their protest until they had spoken to every affected family and received assurances that their demands would be met.
