People suffer in daylong traffic gridlock

Dhaka city dwellers suffered traffic gridlocks on Saturday due to the daylong celebrations of UNESCO recognition of historic March 7 speech.
Many roads were closed to traffic to facilitate movement of participants in the celebrations, triggering huge congestions almost all over the city. 
Many public buses and minibuses were engaged for carrying the participants to the rally which created acute shortage of public transports on roads in some areas.
The daylong celebrations began around noon at Dhanmondi and later processions from different parts of the city moved towards Suhrawardi Udyan.
During the processions, Moulana Bhashani Road, Secretariat Road, Topkhana Road, Kakrail Road, Hare Road, Mintu Road and roads inside Dhaka University and Segunbagicha areas were closed after 1:00pm. 
Barriers were put up in areas like Segunbagicha, Kakrail, Ramna, and Shahbagh. 
The participants were seen standing on roads and giving slogans. 
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the rally at Suhrawardi Udyan as chief guest about 3:45pm and left the spot about 4:30pm.
Huge traffic congestion was seen in areas including Dhanmondi, Azimpur, New Market, Kalabagan, Motijheel, Paltan, Kakrail, Shantinagar, Malibagh, Moghbazar, Farmgate, Shahbagh and the congestion then spread to other areas like Tejgaon, Gulshan, Banani, Badda and Mirpur. 
Sabbir Rahman, a service holder, said he get on a Mirpur-route bus at Paltan at about 2:00pm. 
The bus used the road through Kakrail to get on Moghbazar-Mouchak flyover but remained stuck at Malibagh for an hour, he added. 
Many people were seen to walk after spending hours on buses, CNG autos and rickshaws. 
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s traffic (south) department on Thursday urged people to avoid the Udyan and adjacent areas during the rally and processions.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net