Due to their procession from Nayabazar to Gabtali, the 20-kilometer road became virtually non-functional for vehicles from noon to evening.

A reduced number of private and public vehicles came to ply the streets yesterday, as the ruling party was doing publicity for their rally and procession for the last few days.

Commuters and vehicles were seen waiting for hours at different intersections including Gulistan, Malibagh, Mouchak, Bangla Motor, Sonargaon, Farmgate, Asadgate and Shaymoli while the drivers and vehicle owners were advised to take alternative roads.

Thousands of city-dwellers were stranded in the public and private vehicles and rickshaws for hours and the commuters had to wait at the bus stops for a long time.

Even after 9:00pm, many people were seen walking to their destinations while many others were waiting for transport to get back home.

"After remaining stranded on the jam-packed Airport Road for over an hour, I got down from the bus near the Shaheen College and walked to Karwan Bazar to attend my evening office," said a commuter.

Asma Akhter, who left her office near Farmgate at 5:00pm, took one hour and a half to reach her Green Road residence.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was present at the procession and security was beefed up on the unusually clean procession routes.

The city corporation removed all the garbage containers from the procession routes and a large number of cleaners were employed to sweep the roads.

The security personnel allowed only the BNP supporters holding flags and festoons to wait beside the roads while the commuters had to stand far away from the streets and bus stops. At noon, there was no public transport at the city's busy Farmgate intersection, as it fell on the procession routes.

Hundreds of ruling party supporters were waiting on the street at different points including Shantinagar, Maghbazar, Bangla Motor, Green Road, Asadgate and Shaymoli from noon while lanes of the adjoining areas became packed with vehicles and rickshaws.

As the procession was passing the Mouchak intersection, Gulistan-bound vehicles from Rampura were stranded for around one hour, causing a three-kilometre long traffic tailback from Mouchak to Badda.

MANNAN BHUIYAN STATEMENT
BNP Secretary General and LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan in a statement last night asked the city dwellers to excuse the ruling party and its front organisations for yesterday's traffic jams resulting from the procession.

Besides, he expressed gratitude to the partymen for their efforts to make the anniversary programs successful.