The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has issued a traffic advisory for Dhaka residents, warning of heavy congestion in the upcoming week due to multiple religious events and board examinations occurring simultaneously.
The advisory highlights three days of HSC exams, the return Ratha Yatra for Hindu devotees, and the Tazia procession for Muslims observing Ashura this week.
S M Mehedi Hasan, Joint Commissioner (South) of the DMP Traffic Department, provided these updates during a press conference on traffic management at the DMP Media Center on Saturday.
“The entire week is expected to be congested,” Hasan stated. “The traffic department is working to alleviate congestion and minimize public inconvenience.”
He detailed that the return Ratha Yatra will take place on Monday, bringing Sanatan religion followers onto the streets and increasing traffic throughout the city. Ashura will be observed on Wednesday, with the Tazia procession expected to further impact traffic.
“Additionally, the quota reform movement is ongoing. Considering all these challenges, deputy commissioners of each division are working to reduce public inconvenience through effective traffic management,” he added.
When questioned about whether the quota reform movement at key locations like Shahbagh is contributing to public inconvenience and the role of police enforcement, Hasan responded, “In such undesirable situations, traffic division members coordinate within the eight divisions. Team DMP works jointly with the crime division. We always strive to minimize public inconvenience as much as possible.”
