Fewer vehicles on streets, crowds at pumps

The capital's usually congested roads have appeared relatively less crowded in recent days, but the change has come with a new challenge: long queues at petrol pumps due to fuel supply crunch and rationing.

Drivers across Dhaka say they are waiting for hours to collect small amounts of fuel, forcing many to reduce vehicle use and affecting ride-sharing and delivery services.

A visit to the Trust Filling Station in the Bijoy Sarani area today (9 March) showed long queues of motorcycles and private cars waiting for octane and petrol. Many drivers said they had already spent hours in the queue.

Motorcyclist Hasib Billah said he had been waiting nearly two hours. "I have a part-time job and also do ride-sharing, but the hassle of getting fuel has reduced my income. If it takes three to four hours just to get two litres of fuel, when will I work?" he said.

Similar scenes were observed in other parts of the city. At a pump in Agargaon's Taltola area, dozens of vehicles were waiting for fuel.

Private car driver Samiul said, "I didn't go out yesterday because there was no octane in my car. Today I came to refuel and have already been waiting an hour. I don't know how much longer it will take."

Many drivers said the long wait for fuel has forced them to cut down on vehicle use, contributing to fewer vehicles on the streets.

Officials involved in traffic management said overall traffic across the city has declined due to longer waits at fuel stations, the closure of educational institutions and many families leaving Dhaka ahead of Eid.

Fewer vehicles on streets

Visits to several areas of the capital yesterday showed a decline in the number of vehicles. In Mirpur-10, Mirpur-1, Kalyanpur, Farmgate, Bijoy Sarani, Karwan Bazar, Banglamotor, Moghbazar, Shahbagh, New Market and Paltan, the usual severe congestion was absent.

Commuters said traffic conditions have improved compared to a few days ago, with waiting times at traffic signals shorter.

Office-goer Habibur said, "Even two days ago we had to wait 10 to 15 minutes at signals at intersections like Karwan Bazar or Banglamotor. Now we can cross within a few minutes."

Traffic police Saidur Rahman, on duty at the Bijoy Sarani intersection, said vehicle pressure had eased in the past two days. "There is still some pressure before iftar, but roads remain comparatively less crowded during the rest of the day," he said.

Fewer passengers on transport

The decline in road traffic has also affected public transport. With passenger numbers falling, many bus owners are operating fewer buses.

Ibrahim, a helper on a BRTC double-decker bus, said passenger numbers had dropped sharply over the past two days. "We get some passengers at the start of office hours and just before iftar, but for the rest of the day the bus is not even half full," he said.

Bus owners say the drop in passengers sometimes makes it difficult to cover operating costs. The closure of schools and colleges has also reduced daily commuting.

Many leaving for villages early

Many families have already left the capital to avoid the rush ahead of Eid, leading to a noticeable drop in the city's population.

Rezaul Karim, a government official, said he had sent his family to their village home last Friday. "Once the office closes for the holiday, I'll leave that night as well," he said.

He added that due to the fuel situation he has kept his car in the garage and now travels to the office by metro.

Many residents are similarly turning to public transport or alternatives such as metro rail.

On 5 March, the government ordered a 10% cut in fuel allocations to filling stations, reduced gas supply for power generation by 50mmcfd, and shut down all fertiliser factories except one in Sylhet.

While the temporary drop in traffic has eased congestion in Dhaka, many residents say it reflects underlying challenges—fuel shortages, the Eid holiday season and reduced movement across the city.