Dhaka gets back to usual self

The preceding two days were Friday and Saturday—weekly holidays. As a result, many people stayed back at home for an additional day on Monday and returned to the capital on Tuesday after enjoying a four-day break.

Dhaka city on Wednesday saw its common sight of traffic as people started to return to the city from village homes following a general holiday on Sunday—for the national polls. 

Earlier, thousands of city dwellers left Dhaka for their villages to cast votes at their designated voting centres. The preceding two days were Friday and Saturday—weekly holidays. As a result, many people stayed back at home for an additional day on Monday and returned to the capital on Tuesday after enjoying a four-day break. 

Besides, the BNP and likeminded parties enforced a 48-hour hartal that ended at 6am on Monday—resulting in less number of public transports plying the roads. 

Even on the day after the election, the capital's roads were empty on Monday. Usually, such a picture is only seen during Eid holidays.

The government and private offices, shopping malls and markets have reopened. Staff of most of the shops and malls were found busy cleaning their workplaces after the short closure.

There was no shortage of CNG-run auto-rickshaws and buses in the capital’s Shyamoli, Gabtoli, Mirpur, Kalabagan, Karwan Bazar, Banglamotar and Farmgate areas.

Office goers were seen catching buses while many travelled through their private cars. 

A man named Arifur Rahman Rabbi spoke to this correspondent and said: “I am going to my office but currently I am stuck in traffic with my motorcycle.”  

Traffic police in charge in the Bijoy Sarani area said that the pressure of vehicles on the road increased yesterday compared to the last three days. The city has got back its life, he added. 

Meanwhile, the pressure of vehicles also increased on the highways. Police Sergeant Farooq Hossain was monitoring traffic in the Technical intersection of Mirpur in Dhaka. He said that the pressure of long-distance buses increased on Tuesday compared to the last few days.