Quiet Dhaka streets on Election Day amid tight security and transport restrictions

As the 12th National Parliamentary Election is underway across Bangladesh, Dhaka's usually bustling streets presented a markedly different scene today, characterized by emptiness and a palpable calm.

Voting commenced at 8 am and is scheduled to continue uninterrupted until 4 pm, under heightened security measures.

BNP and its allied parties, in protest against the election, have called a hartal which started yesterday at 6 am and will continue till 6 am tomorrow.

Despite the Election Commission (EC) designating the day as a general holiday to facilitate voting, the number of public transport vehicles plying Dhaka streets was notably lower than on a typical day.

Dhaka residents resorted to walking or using rickshaws to reach their nearest polling centers, with even the number of rickshaws available falling short of the usual count.

Visits to various Dhaka areas, including Bhatara, Badda, Rampura, Banani, Mohakhali, Shantinagar, Karwan Bazar, Panthopath, Kalabagan, Science Laboratory intersection, Shahbagh, and Kakrail, revealed an absence of private vehicles on the roads.

Law enforcement agencies, including the Armed Forces, were visibly present, patrolling Dhaka roads to maintain order and ensure a peaceful election process. As of now, no significant incidents have been reported in the city.

While shopping malls, markets and shops on the main roads remained shuttered, some grocery stores in residential areas opened their doors to the public.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), in a bid to ensure a fair and peaceful election, imposed restrictions on vehicular movement. According to a media release by DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, these restrictions affected taxis, pickup trucks, microbuses, and trucks within the Dhaka metropolitan area from midnight on 6 January until the end of 7 January.