Off-limiting vehicles on DU streets causes extra congestions

Limiting traffic through the Dhaka University campus by the university authority has led to a chaotic situation in the surrounding areas, causing an additional traffic gridlock in Shahbagh, Doyel Chattar and Nilkhet. 

Consequently, general commuters who used to pass through the areas are now suffering.

On Saturday, the DU proctor's office issued a notice banning entry of all types of vehicles through the university's entrances at Shahbagh, Doyel Chattar, Burn Unit, Shibbari Crossing, Fuller Road, Palashi, and Nilkhet from 3pm to 10pm on Fridays, Saturdays and other government holidays.

Besides, the movement of external vehicles inside the campus has been banned from 5pm to 10pm on general working days. Only vehicles with DU stickers and emergency vehicles, including ambulances, media, and government cars, will be permitted inside the campus, the notice says.

However, most of the roads now restricted by the university are under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka South City Corporation. The DU authority said before implementing their decision, they have discussed it with the DMP Traffic Division and the city corporation.

During a visit to the DU areas today (15 December), this TBS correspondent saw proctorial mobile teams employed by the university were checking vehicles passing through the restricted areas, leading to jam due to the interception.   

Md Rubel, an ambulance driver, told TBS that he faced huge traffic in the Dhaka Medical area today, and it took him around two hours to cross the area. 

He explained that the vehicle checking teams employed by the university were not well-organised and most of the vehicles were turned back as they were not allowed to cross the check posts. 

Talking to TBS, a bike rider, Illius Hossen, expressed his frustration, saying that last Friday he could not go through the campus from Shahbagh, and consequently, he was stuck in traffic jam in the Dhaka Medical area for more than three hours.

A student of Dhaka University, Al Musavi Nihal said the initiative is good for the university but it needs to be systemic. "Commuters could have been informed beforehand about the restrictions."

A member of DU proctorial body mobile team, Md Faruk Hossain, who was discharging duty at Shahbagh today, told TBS that as many of the commuters were not aware of the decision, it has caused difficulties for them to manage the situation.

DU Sociology Department Associate Professor Samina Luthfa also criticised the decision by the university. 

In a Facebook post, she pointed out that many patients coming to the government hospitals located around the campus had to suffer a lot in the last two days.  

She opined against banning of all transportations through the campus.

To control the movement of outside vehicles, the DU authorities earlier installed car barriers and security surveillance boxes at seven key entry points. They started limiting vehicle movement at the entrances from 13 December.

Associate Professor Saifuddin Ahmed, the university's proctor, told TBS that out of the seven points, the route through Palashi meanwhile opened today.

Acknowledging displeasure from outsider commuters at the decision, he said they were considering the issues arising from the restrictions, and considering whether the DU area can be turned into a "buffer zone".

The safety concern of students comes first, he noted.

All the restricted points except Shahbgah and Nilkhet are inside the campus, he pointed out.

Talking to TBS, Mehedi Shakil, assistant commissioner (traffic) of the Shahbagh zone, DMP said meanwhile, the traffic jams in the Dhaka University area have increased even after the office hours.

Pointing out that many were still ignorant about the restrictions, and there are two key hospitals in the area, he said long tailback of vehicles were observed in the area even on holidays.

The situation would worsen when vehicles will increase in the area in the working days, he feared.