Bangladesh
Traffic Jams Dhaka witnesses massive traffic jams on the first day of fasting
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, 12 March 2024: Tuesday was the first Iftar of Ramadan. Everyone wants to spend the first Ramadan Iftar with their family. For many who go home after office or personal work and have Iftar, uncertainty is created due to traffic congestion. Before Iftar, the major challenge of the traffic department was to keep at least 14 routes including Moghbazar, Malibagh, Karwan Bazar, Gulistan, Mirpur Road in the capital free of pressure. Apart from this, additional pressure has also been created in the metro rail.
Even though several mega projects have been added to the communication system of the capital, including metrorail, elevated expressway, like in previous years, the fear of Ramadan-centric traffic jams has not left behind the city dwellers. A handful of people in some areas blessed with development are relieved about the commute, but the reason for most of them's worries is to return home before iftar after office.
Residents of the city say that the development work is going on but the traffic congestion is not reducing. People living around metro stations will get some benefits during Ramadan. But most people will suffer as before. If Metrorail is introduced on few more routes, this problem can be solved. In such a situation, the residents of the city who have the benefit of Metrorail and elevated expressway are relieved, but the reason for most of them is to return home on time before Iftar. Many people say that panic increases when Ramadan comes! It becomes very difficult to arrange iftar after going home after office. So many people are in doubt whether it is possible to go home and have Iftar.
It has been reported that traffic jams occurred on several roads including Badda, Police Plaza, Gulshan Tejgaon Link Road, Shahbagh to Farmgate, Vijay Sarani, Khilkhet, Moghbazar, Malibagh, Jatrabari, Syedabad, Gulistan and Dhanmondi.
Jahangir Alam, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADC) Traffic Tejgaon Division, said there was some traffic congestion on the road as the first Iftar of the fast.
