A severe traffic jam spanning nearly nine kilometres has been reported on the Narayanganj section of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, causing significant inconvenience to passengers.
On Wednesday morning, the congestion extended from Signboard to Madanpur, affecting the Chittagong-bound lane.
According to police and local sources, heavy rain from early morning resulted in a long queue of vehicles on the highway. Additionally, a covered van had overturned in the Langalbandh area of Sonargaon on Tuesday night, further exacerbating the traffic jam.
Although the covered van has been removed, the congestion persists.
The highway, known for its high-speed traffic, is experiencing severe delays due to the sluggish movement of vehicles.
Rafik Mia, a bus driver for Tisha Paribahan heading to Comilla stuck in traffic for an extended period, said: "I’ve been sitting in traffic since the morning. Normally, such a severe traffic jam doesn’t occur on this highway. I heard a covered van that overturned in the early hours has been cleared, which might be a contributing factor."
Abir Hossain, an office worker, described his ordeal: "I was stuck in traffic at Shimrail intersection for a long time. I had to walk a considerable distance and then use an auto-rickshaw to reach my workplace."
Homemaker Rehena Begum, heading to Meghna Toll Plaza, said: "I was going to a relative's house for an urgent matter, but the intense traffic jam has nearly halted the vehicle’s movement."
In response to the situation, Rezaul Haque, officer-in-charge of Kanchpur highway police said: "The slow movement of vehicles on the highway is causing congestion. Since this is a route designed for fast traffic, any slow movement leads to traffic jams.”
