Reports show that since the interim government assumed office, one protest has followed another—an ongoing challenge for the administration.
Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, Dhaka has seen months of demonstrations over various demands, disrupting vehicular movement and causing distress to residents.
Protesters initially occupied key city streets repeatedly during the morning, evening, and night. After a brief pause, demonstrators have again returned to the streets.
Of these demonstrations, the majority were staged under banners of different professional groups, while education-related protests accounted for around 32%.
On Sunday, the first working day of the week, protesters blocked roads and demonstrated at key points in Dhaka from early morning.
This led to severe traffic congestion across various parts of the city, causing immense suffering for commuters.
From midday, demonstrators gathered on roads in front of the National Press Club, Shahbagh, and Srom Bhaban.
As a result, vehicular movement in the Ramna area remained sluggish, and in some places, long tailbacks were reported.
The traffic congestion spread into alleys, making it particularly difficult for people heading to hospitals or attending to urgent matters.
At Shahbagh, before one protest ended, another group of demonstrators arrived, intensifying the gridlock.
Students of Dhaka University’s Institute of Education and Research staged a protest after the expiry of a 48-hour ultimatum issued over the murder of student SM Shahriar Alam Shammo, since the main accused has not been arrested.
In the afternoon, the students rallied from the Raju Memorial Sculpture and laid siege to Shahbagh police station, later launching a sit-in.
As their protest ended, the BNP's student wing, Chhatra Dal, blocked the Shahbagh intersection with the same demand.
Earlier that day, dismissed members of the armed forces began a sit-in in front of the National Press Club.
Meanwhile, around 3pm, workers of TNZ Group occupied the road in front of Srom Bhaban, demanding payment of outstanding salaries and bonuses.
Protesters also continued a fourth straight day of sit-in in front of Nagar Bhaban, the DSCC headquarters, urging that BNP leader Ishraque Hossain be sworn in as mayor.
These demonstrations caused traffic pressure to persist throughout the day.
The previous week, the areas around Kakrail and Shahbagh were occupied by demonstrators.
As a result, ambulances, emergency vehicles, officegoers, and students faced extreme difficulties.
Many vehicles stood still for hours.
Long rows of buses, cars, rickshaws, and motorcycles depicted a city at a standstill.
Photos and videos of the traffic jam circulated widely on social media, with many expressing frustration and anger.
Shariful Islam, heading to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), was stuck in traffic near the National Press Club around 2pm.
He eventually got off the rickshaw and continued on foot. “I took a rickshaw from Paltan, but near the National Press Club I saw there was no way forward,” he said. “So I got down and started walking.”
Another commuter, Mokhlesur Rahman, said: “The way roads are being blocked for protests nowadays, ordinary people have no options left. If we do not leave home with ample time in hand, we just cannot make it anywhere on time. We are just enduring it now. Maybe it is time to prepare ourselves mentally for all this.”
Shafiqul Islam, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Traffic Division, said traffic pressure built up across nearby streets due to protests from morning.
“However, the situation began to ease somewhat after noon. We are doing our best to keep things under control,” he said.
