Dhaka, Feb. 10 -- The roads of Dhaka have become virtually empty as the public holiday nears ahead of the 13th parliamentary elections and referendum vote.

Since Tuesday morning, the streets of the capital have not bustled with the typical rush of the working day. While there were a handful of private vehicles on most road, public transport seemed limited throughout the city.

The lack of public transport has made things difficult for commuters, with many forced to pay extra to hire private transport. More CNG-powered autorickshaws, and battery rickshaws have been seen on major roads than usual.

A private sector employee named Dipon was unable to board public transport to Uttara after waiting for more than an hour at Shyamoli.

He said,...