Multiple protests and simultaneous road blockades in front of the Jatiya Press Club and adjoining areas of the capital on Sunday morning caused severe traffic congestion on several key routes, leaving officegoers and commuters stranded for hours and bringing parts of Dhaka to a standstill.

Several groups, including the Ebtedayee Madrasa Teachers’ Unity Council, teachers of schools for students with disabilities demanding MPO enlistment and recognition and representatives of recognized but non-MPO institutions, staged sit-in demonstrations near the Press Club.

At the same time, unemployed disabled graduates and non-cadre candidates from the 43rd BCS blocked adjacent roads demanding government jobs, worsening the situation further.

As a result, traffic movement slowed to a crawl in major areas such as Shahbagh, Press Club, Paltan, Bijoynagar and Motijheel.

Commuters and officegoers faced extreme difficulties amid the prolonged gridlock.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said in a notice that traffic was disrupted as various organizations carried out programs simultaneously. The police are working to keep traffic flowing despite the adverse situation.

The notice added: “We sincerely regret the public inconvenience caused by traffic congestion. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police is always committed to protecting public interest.”

The police also stated that they are negotiating with the protesters to clear the roads and have deployed additional officers at necessary points.