The densely populated capital city has acquired a festive mood since traffic snarls have all but disappeared from its streets ahead of the general elections, slated to be held tomorrow.
Normally, the city streets are free of traffic jam only during the Eid holidays as the people go to their native villages to celebrate Eid with their kith and kin.
But this time, residents have been leaving Dhaka in hordes for a different purpose: to exercise their franchise in the upcoming national polls.
The people are enjoying three days vacation as the government has declared polling day December 30 a public holiday.
The two days preceding the polls Friday and Saturday are weekly holidays, which has created a vacation mood in the nation.
This correspondent visited the busiest parts of Dhaka city, including Mirpur, Gabtoli, Farmgate, Mohakhali, Gulistan and Jatrabari. Yet, no traffic snarl could be seen in these places. Buses with few passengers could be seen plying.
However, bus and launch terminals saw sizeable crowds, as the people are leaving the capital to cast their votes in the 11th parliamentary elections.
Bus operators of Gabtoli, Sayedabad and Mohakhali complained that they faced difficulties in managing the home-goers as hundreds were gathering in front of their counters.
Many had to wait at the counters for two to three hours to get seats on the buses, they said. They also said the people are going home today (Friday), but it is not as like as it was on Thursday.
Abdul Alim, a student of Dhaka University, who was standing at Sayedabad Star Line bus counter, said, I want to cast my vote. I’m going home, but I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to do that.
Saiful Islam was going to his home district Feni. I got a three-day vacation. I’m going home today. My main aim is to cast my vote.
Seeking anonymity, a teacher of a private university, who was going Senbag in Noakhali district, said he could not cast his vote in the last national elections as the lawmaker was elected uncontested. But this year I want to cast my vote.
No struggling for buses, no traffic congestion. Going from one place to another took much less time today, Abdur Rashid, who has enrolled as a new lawyer in the Dhaka Bar this year, said.
Along with my friend Asraful Huq, I went to Old Dhaka from Mohammadpur within half-an-hour to lunch at ‘Nobabi Bhoje’ in Grand Nobab Hotel. In other days, it is impossible for me to come here within half-an-hour and have lunch so easily, he added.
After lunch, we called a rickshaw and went home without any traffic signal. That is unimaginable on other days! he said.