In three days, three accidents have occurred in the Chunati Jangalia area of Chittagong's Lohagara upazila on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway.
These incidents have resulted in the deaths of 15 people and injuries to at least 26 others.
Following these consecutive accidents in the same location, local authorities have taken notice and are investigating the causes.
Discussions with relevant stakeholders reveal that the road is narrow and features a dangerous curve in that area.
Additionally, salt is transported on trucks along this route, making the road slippery. These factors are believed to contribute to the frequent accidents, as per stakeholders.
All three recent accidents in Chunati Jangalia took place in the morning.
On Monday, a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a minibus killed five young men and injured nine others.
Early on Tuesday, two tourist microbuses overturned, injuring nine passengers.
Then, on Wednesday, another head-on collision between a bus and a microbus resulted in 10 deaths and five injuries.
Local resident Saiful Islam said: "The Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway is extremely important. However, in the past 20 years, it has not been widened. This narrow road contains several dangerous curves.
"If it were expanded to four or six lanes, such accidents would not occur. Yet, the government is not taking action to improve the road."
Lohagara fire service team leader Rakhal Chandra Rudra said: "Three accidents have taken place in the same location in Chunati Jangalia over the past three days, and the fire service has carried out rescue operations for each incident."
He added: "We have identified several causes for these accidents. Trucks transport salt along this road, and saltwater spills onto the surface, making it slippery, which leads to accidents. Moreover, this section of the highway has a dangerous curve, and drivers from other districts often lack experience driving on this route. These are the primary reasons why accidents keep happening."
Meanwhile, Shubharanjan Chakma, officer-in-charge (OC) of Dohazari highway police station, said: "The accident-prone area in Chunati Jangalia is steeply sloped. Early in the morning, traffic is light, allowing vehicles to speed up. Inexperienced drivers unfamiliar with the road conditions often fail to control their speed, leading to accidents."
He further said: "The steep slope in Jangalia needs repairs. Despite repeated accidents, the Roads and Highways Department has shown no initiative in addressing the issue."
Assistant Superintendent of Police (Satkania Circle) Toufiq-ul-Alam also commented on the matter, saying: "Several dangerous curves exist along the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway, including a major one in Jangalia. While overtaking, drivers cannot see oncoming vehicles from the opposite direction, which is a significant cause of these accidents."
Regarding the issue, Rokan Uddin Khaled Chowdhury, the additional executive engineer of the Chittagong South Road Division, said: "Saltwater spills onto the road, making it slippery. Additionally, morning fog keeps the road damp, further increasing accident risks. The highway is also too narrow given the volume of vehicles using it, which contributes to the frequent accidents."
He added: "A project is underway to widen the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway. It is currently in the feasibility study phase. Once the road is expanded, the number of accidents is expected to decrease."
