Dhaka roads you should avoid today

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police have issued a traffic guideline for Bangladesh Awami League's 21st National Council and requested all concerned to follow it to avoid unusual traffic congestion in Dhaka.

The ruling party's two-day-long national council is slated to be held on December 20-21 at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to attend the council as the chief guest while thousands of party men, and other guests will also attend the programme. 

As a large number of people will come to the council spot from different parts of the country, the city commuters may suffer from traffic congestion in the city on the council days. 

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have taken several steps to run the council orderly, and as part of this move, they issued the traffic guideline so that the city commuters can move easily to their destinations during the council days.

In the guideline, the police put specific directions over the movement and stoppage of the council-bound vehicles from many parts of the country.

Routes and parking areas
The council-bound vehicles from the Rajshahi, Khulna and Rangpur divisions are directed to follow the Gabtoli-Technical-Shyamli-Asadgate-Dhanmondi-12-Sciencelab-Newmarket-Nilkhet-Dhaka University route. These vehicles will park at the Dhaka University's gymnasium ground.

The vehicles from the Barishal, Khulna and greater Faridpur regions have to follow the Zero Point-High Court crossing-Doyel Chattar route, and will park at the same place. 

The vehicles from the Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions crossing the Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover will have to follow the Nimtoli crossing-Chankharpul-Doyel Chattar route and will park at the Dhaka University's gymnasium ground. 

Besides, the vehicles from the Mymensingh, Gazipur, Tangail, Uttara and Abdullahpur areas will have to follow the Mohakhali Flyover-Ramna Police Station crossing-Kakrail Church Intersection-Rajmoni-Nightingale Intersection-Zero Point-High Court route and will also park at the same venue. 

Vehicles parking allotments
The VIP cars, as per the DMP's direction, will have to be parked at the Suhrawardy Udyan, cars of police and journalists at the Ramna Euro Asiano Chinese Restaurant and Ramna Tennis complex, buses at the university's gymnasium ground and Nilkhet's Palashi area (east side), and other medium and heavy vehicles at the Dhaka University's Mall Chattar.

Besides, some other heavy vehicles will stop at the Dhaka University's Fuller Road, and small vehicles on the street from Sugandha intersection to Baily Road.

Diversion points
The police have directed the council-bound vehicles diverting their lanes at some specific traffic points – the Bangla Motor crossing, Ruposhi Bangla Hotel crossing, Rajmoni crossing, Minto Road east point crossing, Kakrail Church crossing, Matshya Bhaban crossing, Jagannath Hall crossing, Shahbagh crossing, UBL crossing, Katabon crossing, Doyel Chattar crossing, and Science Lab crossing.