Commuters in Dhaka faced significant delays this morning as heavy traffic clogged most routes, coinciding with the reopening of educational institutions after months of closure. The congestion caused considerable hardship for those heading to work, despite the presence of traffic police on the streets.
With the city roads teeming with vehicles—ranging from cars and buses to bikes and CNG-run auto-rickshaws—office-goers found their morning commute particularly challenging. Many attributed the increased traffic to the simultaneous reopening of schools and the full-scale operations of both public and private offices.
Sadia Rahman, a journalist commuting daily from Banani to Eskaton, shared her frustration: “I left for my office at 9:15 a.m. Normally, it takes 30-40 minutes to reach Eskaton, but today it took almost one and a half hours—I didn’t arrive until 10:45 a.m.” She described the traffic from Jahangir Gate to Bangla Motor as “unbearable.”
Asif Mahmud, a private bank official, compared the current traffic management by police with the earlier period when students were in charge, stating, “It took me 30 minutes to cross Moghbazar Rail Gate from Hatirjheel. Traffic flowed more smoothly when students were managing it. Since the police took over last week, I’m getting stuck at every junction for 10-15 minutes, delaying my arrival at the office by nearly an hour.”
According to traffic division sources, slow-moving vehicles were reported in areas including Uttara, Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Motijheel, Fakirapul, and Shantinagar. Notably, traffic congestion was also observed from Notun Bazar to Jamuna Future Park in the Bashundhara area.
“There was an influx of Dhaka-bound vehicles this morning, leading to traffic jams in Uttara. The situation is expected to improve over time,” said Kamruzzaman, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Uttara Division of Traffic Police.
Shuvo Ghosh, Assistant Commissioner of Traffic’s Badda Zone, cited the reopening of educational institutions as a key factor contributing to the traffic jams, adding that ongoing construction work across various city roads has further exacerbated the situation.
