50km tailback paralyses Dhaka-Chattogram highway

A 50-kilometre-long traffic tailback has brought the Dhaka-bound lane of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway to a near standstill, leaving thousands of passengers and motorists stranded for hours.

The congestion stretched from Chandina in Cumilla to the Ashariarchar Bridge in Narayanganj after repair work began on the bridge around 11am on Friday.

The Roads and Highways Department said a large pothole had developed on the Dhaka-bound side of the bridge and was widening, raising concerns over road safety. Authorities closed one of the bridge’s two lanes to carry out repairs, allowing traffic to pass through the remaining lane.

As the volume of vehicles increased, traffic movement slowed sharply and the tailback continued to grow. By Saturday morning, the congestion had extended as far as Chandina.

Drivers caught in the gridlock said passengers had been suffering for hours.

Yahya, a Star Line bus driver, said he had been stuck in the traffic since midnight on Friday. “The passengers are suffering immensely,” he said.

Humayun Azad, a driver of Saint Martin Paribahan, said the tailback had stretched about 50 kilometres from Chandina to Narayanganj.

Prem Das Ray, officer-in-charge (OC) of Daudkandi Highway Police Station, said, "The repair work near Ashariarchar Bridge was the main cause of the congestion, particularly along the Daudkandi-Meghna Toll Plaza stretch."