Traffic Chokes the capital Dhaka. But what went wrong?

On 22 May 2025, (Thursday) a severe traffic congestion was dealt by the people living in the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka. It is due to the political protests and the interruption of rain that paralyzed the movement of the vehicles for hours. 

What happened in the capital?

The supporters of the BNP party who are carrying out the protest at the Kakrail intersection intensified, demanding to swear in Ishraque Hossain as Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, and their protest is now on the eighth day. So, this led to the shutdown of DSCC services as the employees joined the demonstrators in locking the Nagar Bhaban. On the other hand, the Shahbagh intersection was blocked by the members of JCD (Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal) who demanded justice for the murder of their leader Shahriar Alam Shammo.

আরও পড়ুন: Who is Banu Mushtaq? Let us dive into the journey of International Booker Prize Awardee

Early this morning, a rally took place by the এনসিপি (National Citizen Party) in Jatrabari meanwhile rain was pouring in the middle of all of these. It further worsened the situation causing more discomfort to the vehicles and the riders on the road in Dhaka. A 20 mm of rainfall was recorded at various places including Matsya Bhaban, Shahbagh, and Kakrail which led to distress for the commuters due to the waterlogging. All these series of events gave rise to a spike in ridership of metro rail and also reveals the fragility of Dhaka’s traffic system which is a tough pill to swallow for the corporation and the governing authorities.

আরও পড়ুন: Pakistan vs Bangladesh T20: Pacer Nahid Rana pulls out of the squad for ‘security concerns’