Transport bodies in the port city have threatened to stop vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway if the dilapidated thoroughfare was not repaired within the next 72-hours.
They issued the ultimatum at a meeting, held at the office of Superintendent of Police (SP) of Chittagong, yesterday afternoon.
The meeting, chaired by SP AKM Hafiz Akhter, also decided that trucks, covered vans and lorries would not be allowed to ply the highway three days before and after Eid in order to avoid traffic congestion.
However, vehicles laden with foods and grains would be able to ply the highway as usual.
Kafil Uddin Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Road Transportation Owners’ Association, said around 60 km of Dhaka-Chittagong highway starting from Chittagong’s City Gate to Baryarhat was damaged greatly by the slow construction of the four-lane project and had already created many potholes, water clogging on the highway following heavy monsoon downpours.
“This portion of the highway has become almost unfit for vehicles. It takes seven to eight hours to cross a one-and-a-half-hour long distance. We also informed the Chittagong SP that it is not possible for us to ply vehicles any more on the battered highway” said Kafil.
He also alleged that the RHD had not begun the repair work on the highway yet, even after being directed by the communications minister.
During the meeting, the transport providers also raised a number of demands, including ensuring security on the highway and the end of harassment in the name of checking, to the police high-up.
Among others, Zahirul Haque, president of Chittagong Road Transportation Owners’ Group, Abul Kalam Azad, secretary general of Chittagong Transport Owners’ Group, Manjurul Alam Manju, secretary of Bangladesh Road Transportation Association and officials of the RHD (Roads and Highways) and Highway Police attended in the meeting.