Traffic movement on the Mohakhali-Banani road in the capital has started to return to normal.
A female garment worker was killed in a road accident at the Chairman Bari U-turn incoming area on Monday morning.
In protest of this incident, angry workers blocked the road and staged a demonstration starting from the morning, which lasted for about seven hours.
Later, around 1:30pm, when they cleared the road, traffic movement began to return to normal.
Prior to this, immediately after the accident on Monday morning, garment workers blocked the Mohakhali-Banani road. They shut down both the incoming and outgoing directions. As a result, severe traffic jams occurred on important roads in the capital, including Banani, Mahakhali, and Gulshan. Traffic was even halted on the Elevated Expressway.
Due to the traffic jam, office-goers faced immense hardship. Many shared their experiences of being stuck in traffic on social media. Some complained about being stuck for hours, while others had to walk to their destinations.
The protesting workers demanded that the vehicle responsible for the accident be identified and swift action be taken. They also demanded compensation for the family of the deceased worker.
To control the situation, police from Banani Police Station, the DMPI Traffic Division, and the Industrial Police were present at the scene. After discussions with the workers, they lifted the blockade around 1 PM.
After the protest was called off, traffic gradually began to return to normal. However, due to the prolonged halt in traffic, the area around Mahakhali and its surroundings still experienced the aftermath of the traffic jam.
The Traffic Division said that it would take some time for the situation to fully normalize.
The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Banani Police Station Md Russell Saroar said: “Since the workers blocked the road from morning, traffic had been completely halted in the area. We spoke with the workers and explained the situation to calm things down. Now, traffic is gradually returning to normal.”
Deputy Police Commissioner (DC) of Gulshan Traffic Division Md Mofudul Islam, said: “The protest by garment workers caused traffic jams on the Mahakhali-Banani road. However, we attempted to keep traffic moving by using alternative routes. Now, with the workers lifting the blockade, the situation is returning to normal.”
