The deployment of military police yesterday has eased the movement of vehicles to some extent on the VIP roads only in the capital but the unbearable traffic jam has spilled over to other roads, lanes and by-lanes all over the city much to the discomfort of thousands of commuters.

The auto signal lights at many points are blamed for the traffic jam. Experts suggested that the traffic police control the signal lights manually depending on the volume of traffic at particular points.

The movement of traffic almost came to a standstill in other areas and it took long times for passengers to reach their destinations.

Four separate teams drawn from the army, air force and navy were placed at four key points of the capital starting from 8:00am “in aid of traffic police” to improve the traffic situation.

A total of 32 members of the military police (MP) were seen controlling traffic movement since 9am at key points at Farmgate, Karwan Bazaar SAARC Fountain roundabout, Mohakhali and Maghbazaar intersections.

Earlier yesterday, Local government minister Syed Ashraful Islam told parliament that lack of coordination among the DMP, Dhaka City Corporation and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority was the main reason behind the traffic snarl in the capital.

He asked Dhaka City Corporation, Rajuk and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority to bring the traffic situation to a tolerable level.

State minister for home Shamsul Haque Tuku told reporters yesterday that “Military personnel have been deployed at certain points in the city to help the traffic police on the busy streets”.

Manpower shortage in the DMP’s traffic wing, illegal vehicle parking and carelessness of the drivers are also adding to the traffic congestion, police sources said.

Shafiqur Rahman, joint commissioner (traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told the New Nation that the traffic police will now work with the military police to regulate traffic movement throughout the city.

Witnesses said serious traffic jam ahead of Eid festival occurs at every intersection and on the roads along the shopping malls causing untold sufferings to the commuters moving by various modes of transport.

The gridlock is always worse in front New Market, Mouchak, Gulshan, Panthopath and Bosundhara shopping complex from morning to late evening.

Jatrabari, Hatkhola, Shapla Chattar, Gulistan, Paltan, New Market, Science Laboratory area, Shahbag, Bangla Motor, Sonargaon-crossing, Panthopath, Farmgate, Manik Mian Avenue, Asadgate, Shyamoli, Kalyanpur, Gabtoli, Mirpur-Goolchakkar, Mohakhali, Khilgaon, Banani, Mouchak, Kakrail and Malibagh particularly witness unbearable traffic congestion every day excepting Fridays and Saturdays. Now-a-days residential areas are also experiencing heavy traffic-jam. Residential areas such as Dhanmondi, Banani and Gulshan are also immune from this scourge.

“It is difficult to ensure coordination among all the agencies involved,” said Additional Communications Secretary Shafique Alam Mehdi, who heads the 12-member committee formed to coordinate the activities of the mobile courts and other agencies working towards reducing traffic jam.

“It is not possible to rid the capital of traffic jam overnight. We are trying our best and the situation is improving,” he added.