Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, adviser to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, was stranded in a traffic jam for nearly two hours on Wednesday while inspecting a section of the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in Ashuganj.
The adviser arrived in Bhairab by train in the morning and set out for Bishwaroad around 10:15am from Hotel Ujanbhati in Ashuganj. His motorcade became stuck in heavy congestion in Sohagpur, Sonarampur, and Bairtala areas, with the gridlock still persisting at 12:20pm.
Ahead of his visit, project officials carried out hurried repairs, laying brick and sand to raise the road surface and filling potholes, which drew criticism from locals. Residents said they have suffered extreme hardship on a 12km stretch of the highway for over a year, despite authorities reportedly spending over Tk2 crore on temporary fixes.
Police, army, highway police, and Ansar members were deployed to ease traffic but failed to bring the situation under control.
In 2017, ECNEC approved the construction of a 51km section of the highway from Ashuganj River Port to Akhaura Land Port. Indian contractor Afcons Infrastructure Ltd began work in 2020 under three packages, but the project has faced delays due to the pandemic, sand shortages, and political unrest.
The original deadline of July 31, 2025 has been extended by one year, with the project’s budget increased by Tk163 crore.
