High Court today rejected a writ petition seeking a directive to conduct an

independent inquiry into the allegations and counter allegations over the
termination of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) official Md Sharif
Uddin.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Md

Mostafizur Rahman passed the rejection order considering that the
petition was not placed properly before it.

Writ petitioners' lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir told The Daily Star that
he requested the HC to reject the petition as Sharif Uddin himself filed a
separate writ petition with this court in order to get his job back.

On February 23, 10 Supreme Court lawyers, led by Shishir Manir,

submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the HC seeking its
directive on the authorities to conduct an independent inquiry into the
reported allegations and counter allegations over the termination of
Sharif Uddin from the service. 

Hossain, a private firm employee, left his home in Khilgaon at 9am for his
office in Farmgate. The commute usually takes him 45 minutes, but it
took him nearly two and a half hours today.

Many office-goers and people who left home this morning have had the
same experience.

The Daily Star correspondent Rafiul Islam said that it took him about an
hour to reach Farmgate from Paribagh, on a bike. Usually, it takes no
more than 10-15 minutes.

Our photojournalist Prabir Das visited Dhaka's Mirpur, Mohammadpur,

Shahbagh, Kakrail, and Motijheel areas and saw similar scenes of heavy
traffic congestion.

Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue. Photo: Prabir Das

"There are gridlocks in areas of Dhaka where there are more schools and
colleges," he said.
Cars, motorbikes and rickshaws were barely moving in Bailey Road,
Siddheshwari area which has several schools and colleges.  

"I performed my duties a little more comfortably on Tuesdays," said an

on-duty police officer on nearby Minto Road. "Today, I'm having trouble
keeping up with the traffic situation," he said.

DMP's Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Munibur Rahman told The Daily

Star, "There were too many parked cars in the morning as everything –
offices, schools and colleges – have reopened."