Tarique halts convoy to let ambulance pass

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman made way for an ambulance by halting his motorcade on the elevated expressway near Karwan Bazar in the city on Wednesday, breaking the usual VVIP protocol.

The move came shortly before 9:00am as he was travelling from his Gulshan residence to the Bangladesh Secretariat, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, reports UNB.

"The Prime Minister suddenly noticed in his vehicle's rear-view mirror that an ambulance was behind the convoy, appearing hesitant to pass the motorcade," he said.

Seeing this, Rumon said, the PM instructed  security officials to immediately allow the ambulance to pass.

"Following the instruction, the convoy slowed down and made space, allowing the ambulance to move ahead without delay," he said, describing it as a "rare example."

A private insurance company official, Saleh Uddin, who was travelling to Motijheel in a private car near Karwan Bazar, said he was also behind the Prime Minister's motorcade at the time.

"All vehicles suddenly stopped. Then VIP security personnel allowed the ambulance to pass through the convoy," he said.

Saleh also said that by allowing an ambulance carrying a critically ill patient to pass, the Prime Minister had set another example.