DHAKA: City commuters are in tremendous sufferings as few public vehicles are allowed to run due to the on-going confrontation between ruling Awami League (AL) and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Office-going people are seen struggling to catch a pickup van and convince a rickshaw-puller to reach their respective destinations as communication system is halted to avoid untoward situation.

Transport people said that they are not running their vehicles for security reason.

Moreover, AL-affiliated organizations are marking January 5 as ‘Victory Day of Democracy’ by arranging rallies on streets that also increase sufferings for commuters as police has made barricades in several places to provide extra-security for the ruling party people.

On the other hand, the BNP-led alliance are observing the day as ‘Democracy Killing Day’ and trying to ignore police ban on rally resulting sporadic clashes on city streets.

Our reporters from various spots say that people of different walks of life were seen waiting for vehicles and expressing their anguish to each other.

An employee Khorshed Alam said that he was waiting for an hour but got no vehicle. He reached Mohakhali by rickshaw-vans with several breaks and got panic-stricken.

Echoing Alam, another employee, felt uneasy to be named to the media, said that he had to wait for a long time for transportation and finally expand a lot of money to reach his office in city’s Badda area from outskirt of city.

BDST: 1446 HRS, JAN 05, 2015