FFWC: Water level in 40 rivers rises, 68 falls

For the third consecutive day, students demanding the cancellation of quotas in government jobs have intensified their Bangla Blockade program, severely disrupting transportation and daily life across Dhaka.

Protestors blocked several key railway lines and crucial points in the capital from the morning, causing widespread traffic jams and public inconvenience.

Major roads such as Panthapath, Green Road, Sonargaon Road, and Tejgaon were completely shut down, leaving hundreds of small vehicles stranded.

The blockade’s impact extended to every neighborhood and alley, significantly escalating public suffering.

Rashedul Islam, who set out with his wife from Merul Badda to Bashundhara Shopping Mall, described their ordeal.

“The scorching heat from the sun was unbearable. With no cars available, we had to walk,” he told Bangla Tribune, recounting how they resorted to a boat from Rampura to Hatirjheel but had to walk from Tejgaon due to the absence of vehicles.

Ritu Akhter, who traveled from Shariatpur to Dhaka to visit a doctor with her one-year-old child, shared her frustration.

“I have come by bus, CNG, rickshaw with great difficulty. I could not go anywhere else when Banglamotor arrived. Can’t find any cars, roads are closed,” she said, stressing her inability to reach Square Hospital for her noon appointment.

The blockade has left hundreds of families stranded on the roads, exacerbating the situation.

A traffic sergeant stationed at the Panthapath signal said: “Though other roads were closed, some vehicles were plying on Panthapath’s Green Road. But from 1pm the jam started to increase. The road was completely closed at half past one.”

Tejgaon Traffic Zone Assistant Commissioner of Police Snehashish Kumar Das said: “The main road is closed, and the pressure is on the alleys. Vehicles are stuck in the alleys of every neighborhood.”

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Media and Public Relations Division Farooq Hossain assured that the police have been on alert since morning to handle the blockade.

“Additional police have been deployed at intersections to maintain the normal movement of people and traffic. Adequate preparations have been made so that no one can create an untoward situation,” he told Bangla Tribune.

The unrest follows a recent ruling by the Appellate Division, which issued a one-month stay on the High Court’s verdict invalidating the decision to cancel the freedom fighter quota system in the first and second class of government jobs.

Despite this stay, the quota opponents have rejected the order and vowed to continue their agitation.