People suffer as AL, BNP hold events, workers block roads
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Commuters, especially children, elderly persons and patients, suffered in gridlocks amid intense heat as political programmes caused massive traffic congestion in the capital and its exit points yesterday.
While Dhaka city north Awami League’s “Peace and Development Conference ‘’ at Gabtoli was scheduled to start at 3:00pm, processions from different wards of DNCC began as early as 12:00pm, blocking the entire bus terminal.
Around 4:00pm, a long queue of stranded vehicles heading towards Dhaka reached as far as Hemayetpur. Inside the city, vehicles on Mirpur road and several others stood still till 4:30pm.
Similarly, BNP staged a demonstration in front of its Naya Paltan office, demanding unconditional release of Khaleda Zia and her proper treatment abroad.
Their rallies and gatherings blocked roads in Motijheel, Gulistan and Secretariat areas. Hundreds of vehicles were seen standing still for hours in these completely gridlocked roads.
Besides, a fire at SA Paribahan office in Kakrail and demonstration of RMG workers at Shyamoli, blocking the Mirpur Road, further intensified the crisis.
Sharmin Islam, who was out shopping with her child, said, “I waited in an autorickshaw for more than an hour. Then, I left it and walked for an hour and took another CNG. After moving slowly for a couple of minutes, I was again stuck in a huge tailback.”
“All vehicles were so crammed on the road that I could not even move out from the CNG. My son has already become very sick.”
DU student Rubayet Islam said, “It will take at least three hours to reach my home. Tomorrow is my exam and when I reach home, I’ll be too tired to prepare for it. Why should we suffer for political interest of few people?”
Polls will be held on time: Quader
OUR CORRESPONDENT,
Savar
The upcoming national election will certainly be held next January under any circumstances, said Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday.
“The quarterfinal will be played in November, the semifinal in December and the voting will be held in January,” he said.
Quader was speaking as the chief guest at a “peace and development rally” organised by Dhaka north city unit AL at the capital’s Gabtoli.
“Games will be played against vote rigging; games will be played across the country; games will be played in Chattogram, Barishal, Rajshahi and Sylhet. A red card will be shown, if anyone commits a foul,” he said.
He also warned that uranium will be poured on the heads of BNP leaders, if they try to shut down the Rooppur power plant.
“The prices of daily essentials have increased. But did anyone die from starvation? Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will not let anyone die out of hunger,” said Quader.
Pointing at BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul, Quader said BNP threatened to immobilise Dhaka. But the people of the city would not allow that. They would rather immobilise BNP.
Several AL central leaders also spoke at the event.
There will be consequences
Fakhrul on govt not letting BNP
chief seek treatment abroad
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
If something happens to Khaleda Zia due to lack of proper treatment abroad, there will be dire consequences, warned BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday.
“We would like to make it clear that if there is any threat to the life of our leader Begum Khaleda Zia, the people of this country will never forgive this despicable looter government,” Fakhrul said.
Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader alleged that the government pushed the BNP chief near death by deliberately keeping her confined to an uninhabitable room while she was in prison.
As part of the party’s countrywide programme, BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally in front of its Nayapaltan central office, demanding that the government allow Khaleda to go abroad for advanced treatment.
The party will also observe a token hunger strike across the country, including Dhaka, on October 14 to mount pressure on the government to let Khaleda go abroad.
Earlier in the day, the medical board formed at Evercare Hospital for Khaleda’s treatment recommended to urgently send her to a multidisciplinary facility abroad, as there are now no treatment options available for her in Bangladesh.
The board also said the 78-year-old former prime minister’s life is at risk because of a lack of proper treatment to stop water accretion in her stomach and chest, internal bleeding and infections caused by her liver cirrhosis problem.