United News of Bangladesh

Different parts of the capital, including Gulistan, Paltan, Shahbagh and Kakrail, experienced severe traffic congestions on Wednesday as students from Jagannath University and various nursing institutes staged separate protest marches. In the afternoon, several hundred nursing students blocked Shahbagh intersection, one of Dhaka’s key points, triggering severe traffic congestions and causing immense suffering to commuters. Vehicular movement came to a halt, forcing many to walk long distances or change routes to reach their destinations. Chhatra Dal stages protest over murder of DU student Shammo Besides, Jagannath University (JnU) students clashed with police near Kakrail as they attempted to march towards the Chief Adviser’s official residence, Jamuna, to press home their three-point demand. Witnesses said the students began their ‘Long March’ from the campus around 12:30pm, passing through Tatibazar, Gulistan, Zero Point and Matsya Bhaban intersections. Police intercepted them near the Kakrail Mosque, leading to a scuffle.

Shop owners and employees of New Market and adjacent shopping malls staged demonstrations for the second consecutive day on Monday protesting the closure of shopping malls during the 7-day lockdown enforced to contain the Covid-19 transmission. The protesters first took to the streets on Sunday and vandalized a number of vehicles during the demonstrations. At one stage, they locked into clashes with police. Also Read: Spectre of panic buying returns to kitchen markets ahead of lockdown Owners and employees of shops of Dhaka New Super Market, Chandrima Super Market, Nur Mansion and several other shopping malls again brought out a procession in the New Market area at around 10:30am to protest the closure. They demanded the government to allow the market owners  keep those open for four hours every day during the shutdown. The traders said they incurred huge losses last year when the pandemic broke out. They feared incurring losses again for the ongoing lockdown as Eid is near. Additional law enforcers have been deployed in the area to keep the situation under control, SM Kaiyum, officer-in-charge of New Market police station, told UNB. “We are speaking with some of the leaders of the traders. The situation is under control and we are alert to avoid any unexpected situation,” he said. Also Read: Bangladesh set to enforce nationwide lockdown Monday The country started a seven-day lockdown on Monday, aiming to contain the second wave of Covid-19. All modes of public transports (road, river, rail and domestic flights) will remain suspended during the period, among other restrictions.