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Watch out for traffic disruption

Staff Correspondent
City dwellers fear there will be a major traffic disruption in the capital today as around one lakh Awami League leaders and activists converge on Suhrawardy Udyan for the party's 20th national council.
Buet admission seekers and patients heading for three major hospitals in the area - Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Birdem and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University - might be the worst sufferers.
Some 9,157 students will sit for the admission test starting at 9:00am on the Buet campus. They are likely to face trouble on their way to the university, about a kilometre from the council venue, as thousands of AL men would reach the venue before 10:00am.
Doctors, nurses, outdoor patients and their visitors might find it difficult to reach the hospitals.
The two-day council ends tomorrow.
As educational institutions are open tomorrow, students of schools and colleges around DU and Buet campuses are likely to suffer delays in travelling to their institutions.
AL sources said a large number of party activists would crowd outside the council venue like DU campus and Shahbagh intersection.
Earlier, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) announced that it would divert and restrict traffic movement on different roads of the capital, particularly around Suhrawardy Udyan. It also claimed that there would be no traffic problem.
"As traffic on city streets is less on Saturdays due to a public holiday and vehicles coming to the council would be parked inside Dhaka University campus, there would be no problem,” Mosleh Uddin, additional commissioner (traffic) of DMP, toldThe Daily Star.
About Buet admission seekers, he said students would be able to reach the campus through Mirpur Road via Azimpur; through Mohakhali via Moghbazar flyover and Zero Point; and Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover.
However, many students and guardians expressed concern over reaching the exam centre on time.
Mokaddes Hossain, a guardian, said, "Students generally remain tensed during the admission test. They will have to start for the university early in the morning." He also expressed apprehension that some examinees might fail to reach the centre on time.
Sadik Hassan Rafi, an admission seeker, was of the view that the exam schedule should have been changed to avoid any possible problems.
Meanwhile, the authorities of Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology (Buet) have urged the admission seekers to start early from home to avoid traffic congestion.
"A meeting of the admission committee was held on Wednesday. The committee advised students to come earlier so that they could avoid traffic jam," Shah Alam, deputy director of Buet's Public Relation Office, told The Daily Star yesterday.
Quoting the admission committee, he said the admission test was scheduled earlier in coordination with other university admission tests.
About the patients, DMP official Mosleh Uddin said they would allow patients to visit the hospitals through restricted roads.
The DMP has already made a sketch map detailing the routes AL councillors, delegates, leaders, activists and guests would take to reach the venue, and the roads being made off-limits to vehicles.
However, there is no plan on how students, patients and city dwellers would commute through that part of the city today and tomorrow.
Mahbubur Rahman from the city's Jatrabari said, "How would I reach Bangabandhu Medical [BSMMU] for the vaccination of my three-month-old daughter?"
"She was supposed to get vaccinated on Friday. Since it is a weekend, doctors asked me to take her there [ BSMMU | the next day without fail," he said.
Earlier, Mahbubur took his daughter to local vaccination centres. But later he opted for BSMMU.
"I don't know what to do now,” said the worried father.
Sharmin Sultana, a private firm employee, regularly commutes from her Shonir Akhra home to her office in Uttara.
Talking to this newspaper, she said she did not know whether she would be able to join office today and tomorrow due to the probable traffic jam.
"I don't know how I will go to office. People like us become victims of such programmes. Politicians should keep public sufferings in mind before organising any such programme," she viewed.
DMP'S TRAFFIC DIRECTIVES FOR AL'S COUNCIL
Until 8:00am, vehicles will be allowed to go to Shahbagh and DU campus through the VIP road from Bijoy Sarani. Afterwards, the road will be restricted until the prime minister reaches Suhrawardy Udyan.
Vehicles coming from Uttara will not be allowed on Mohakhali flyover and have to go to DU campus through Mohakhali Bus Terminal, Moghbazar, Kakrail and Zero Point, accordingto DMP.
About two hours before the prime minister leaves the event, the road from Matsya Bhaban-Kakrail church to Bijoy Sharani will be restricted. Vehicles will be allowed to go to Mohakhali from Kakrail church through Moghbazar during this time. RESTRICTED STREETS AFTER 7:00AM
No vehicles will be allowed to approach Manik Miah Avenue, Farmgate, Russel Square and Panthapath. Those heading to the DU campus will have to approach through New Market, Nilkhet, Science Laboratory, Azimpur, Palashi and Jagannath Hall Crossing.
Approaching Shahbagh from Kataban will be restricted.
The streets from Doel Chattar to TSC and Shahbagh to Matsya Bhaban will be restricted while traffic will only be allowed to go from the High Court to Doel Chattar.
The street in front of the foreign ministry will be restricted on both sides.
No vehicle approaching from Carpet Goli, Shilpakala Academy, Minto Road crossing and Officers' Club intersection will be allowed on the VIP roads.