TDS Desk:

The reception organised to mark the homecoming of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman presented a contrasting picture across the capital Dhaka, with heavy crowds and traffic congestion around the rally venue on one hand and comparatively empty streets and reduced activity across large parts of Dhaka on the other.

Such scenes were observed in various areas of the city on Thursday morning during on-the-ground visits.

At the same time, a severe shortage of local buses caused significant inconvenience to commuters in several parts of the capital.

The reception programme for Tarique Rahman’s return was held in the 300 Feet area. From early morning, BNP leaders and activists travelled towards the venue from different parts of Dhaka by buses and other vehicles. As a result, traffic density and pedestrian presence increased sharply in and around the 300 Feet area.

In contrast, roads in areas such as Jatrabari, Motijheel, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Banglamotor, Shahbagh, Paltan and various parts of Dhanmondi experienced relatively light traffic and fewer pedestrians. According to relevant sources, many private offices remained closed or operated on a limited scale, which meant that the usual rush during working hours was absent in these areas.

Meanwhile, the reception programme triggered an acute shortage of local buses across the capital. From early morning, BNP leaders and activists hired local buses from different areas to travel to the venue, leading to a sharp reduction in the number of buses operating on regular routes.

After 8:00am, the shortage of local buses became particularly evident at bus stops in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Jatrabari, Saydabad, Gabtoli, Demra and Karwan Bazar. Several commuters said that many buses operating on regular routes had been hired for the political programme, forcing office-goers, students and patients to wait at bus stops for extended periods.

Due to the lack of buses, many passengers were compelled to resort to alternative modes of transport such as rickshaws, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and ride-sharing services, often at higher fares. Eyewitnesses reported scenes of crowding and scrambling whenever a bus arrived, with women, children and elderly passengers suffering the most.

Transport sector insiders said that hiring buses for political programmes is a common practice. However, the large-scale hiring of buses at the same time severely disrupted passenger transport on local routes. Several drivers and conductors said that, following instructions from owners, they had taken buses out for the programme and were therefore unable to pick up passengers on regular routes.

Members of the traffic police said that additional personnel had been deployed in specific areas in connection with the political programme. In other parts of the city, where traffic volumes were lower than on a normal working day, the pressure of duty was also reduced.

Overall, the reception organised to mark Tarique Rahman’s return created a divided scenario in the capital—intense crowds and transport shortages around the rally venue, contrasted with largely empty roads and limited activity across much of the city.