Hatirjheel closure leads traffic gridlock in capital
All types of vehicles were banned from entering Hatirjheel from 04:30 am till the end of the first Bangabandhu marathon
Traffic chaos has crippled many parts of the capital today following sudden closure of some of the routes due to first Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Dhaka Marathon 2021, triggering immense suffering for daily commuters.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Sunday instructed the public not to use Hatirjheel route for commuting due to the first Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Dhaka Marathon 2021.
The congested traffic ensued since morning in many areas including Farmgate, Bijoy Sarani, Banani, Moghbazar, Gulshan, Badda, Mohakhali,Tejgaon, Kakoli, Banasree and Rampura areas as these routes were used by the travelers as alternate route doubling the number of vehicles.
According to commuters who are using roads in the areas, it has taken more than two hours to reach their destination than normal times.
Many commuters are also waiting on roads for hours to reach their destination. The public took it to social media to vent out their frustration and even warn others.
In the Gulshan area, the roads were closed until the marathon team crossed it, causing hundreds of cars and other transports to halt.
All types of vehicles were banned from entering Hatirjheel from 04:30 am till the end of the marathon, according to a press release signed by DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam.
The bus services operating in the Hatirjheel area were shut down temporarily as well.
It is also said as the marathon team will enter Hatirjheel through Gulshan 1 and 2 via Kakoli area, these routes will remain closed until the runners have crossed them.
The DMP release also said that there will be parking service at two places near Aarong on Phoenix Road in front of the ACI office in Tejgaon Industrial Area near Satrasta Intersection.
Around 200 elite marathon runners from Morocco, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ukraine, France, Bahrain, Belarus, Lesotho, India, Nepal and Maldives and 165 athletes from Bangladesh are participating in two categories of the competition – full marathon and half marathon.
The full marathon, covering 42.195 kilometres, started at 6 am and the half marathon of 21.097 kilometres, at 6:40 am, from Banani Army Stadium and will conclude at Hatirjheel after crossing Kakoli, Gulshan 1, Gulshan 2, Police Plaza, and Hatirjheel circle.
