Major traffic congestion has been reported across various roads in the capital due to the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's mass rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday.
In addition, there was heavy overcrowding on the metro rail as thousands gathered for the event.
From early Saturday morning, traffic on the roads was relatively light, but a large number of Jamaat supporters were seen walking towards the rally venue. Congestion was observed on roads leading to Suhrawardy Udyan, while the opposite lanes remained mostly clear.
On-site reports confirm that the roads in front of the Bangladesh National Parliament House and the stretch from Karwan Bazar to Shahbagh intersection were heavily congested. Meanwhile, eyewitnesses also reported several kilometres of tailback on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway.
They noted that processions heading toward the rally site have been slowing down traffic throughout the city since the morning. Public transportation was also notably scarce on many routes.
Buses carrying Jamaat activists from outside Dhaka were parked at distant locations, from where participants marched to the rally grounds at Suhrawardy Udyan.
The rally commenced at 9:40am with a cultural programme organised by the Saimum Shilpigoshti, hosted by Saifullah Monsur. The main rally began at 2:00pm, presided over by the party's Ameer Shafiqur Rahman.
This was the first time since the nation's independence that Jamaat-e-Islami held a rally at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan.
Jamaat leaders announced that the rally will present a seven-point demand, including the call for free, fair, impartial, and peaceful national elections, and equal opportunities for all political parties.
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