15-km tailback on Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge highway
A tailback of around 15-kilometre continued to block Dhaka-Tangail- Bangabandhu Bridge Highway on Saturday caused by the heavy rush of holidaymakers returning to the city after the Eid holidays, similar to what they had to undergo before Eid.
Meanwhile, road accidents and vehicle breakdowns on the middle of the highway have added to the unbearable traffic congestion from the eastern end of Bangabandhu Bridge to Elenga of Kalihati upazila in Tangail since Friday noon.
It is taking 2-3 times longer to reach the destination. Scorching heat only added to the suffering of the passengers.
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Private service holder Md Asaduzzaman who boarded a bus from Sirajganj on Friday evening got stuck in a traffic jam near Elenga at around 8pm.
"When I came from Dhaka two days before Eid, the 3-hour journey took about 24 hours due to the traffic jam. Today, I was stuck in a traffic jam for about one and a half hours. I checked Google map and saw traffic jams up to 20 kilometres ahead," he added.
"There is no end to the suffering of crossing the Bangabandhu Bridge during Eid. The toll collection process is slow here. And, if an accident happens, there is a long traffic jam on the road. It is really difficult to have such a journey when I have my family with me," he said further.
Bangabandhu Bridge East Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam said a mango-laden truck overturned near the third bridge in Elenga's Babla area. It took around one hour to clear the road. Besides, a bus also got stuck on the highway after its engine failed, which worsened the traffic situation.
"Police are working to steer clear of the tailback," he said hoping that the road would go back to regular traffic.
