Dhaka, March 4 -- ul-Fitr drawing near, thousands of shoppers are thronging the capital's key retail hubs including New Market and Chandni Chowk, turning the areas into a sea of people and vehicles.

Amid the festive rush, many pedestrians were seen crossing busy roads directly, ignoring the foot overbridges built for their safety.

Carrying shopping bags and accompanied by family members, including children, they hurried across traffic lanes, often forcing vehicles to brake suddenly.

The unsafe crossings have increased the risk of accidents, while also disrupting traffic flow in the already congested commercial zone.

Drivers were left waiting as groups of pedestrians crossed in clusters, bringing traffic to a near standstill at times....