A long tailback on the Comilla stretch of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway has left thousands of passengers and drivers stranded.
Traffic congestion stretched nearly 35km, from Nimsar in Burichang upazila to Daudkandi, causing immense suffering, according to local sources.
The gridlock began early Thursday after a covered van overturned in the Nuritala area of Chandina upazila. As of 11:30am, both lanes of the highway were choked with stalled vehicles.
Highway police said the accident occurred around dawn, when a covered van lost control and flipped near Nuritala in Chandina. A recovery crane was brought from Feni around 10am, but by then, a long line of stationary vehicles had already formed.
Abdul Alim, a passenger on an Asia Aircon bus, said: “I left the Jangalia bus stand in Comilla for Dhaka around 7:30am. It took over two and a half hours just to reach Chandina. Vehicles are barely moving. I doubt I will be able to complete my work and return from Dhaka today.”
Another passenger, Aminul Islam, disembarked from the same bus at Chandina. “I had an important meeting in Dhaka around noon, so I started early in the morning,” he said. “But it’s already past 11am and I haven’t even made it to Chandina. I’ve decided to return to Comilla.”
Bus driver Habib said he left for Dhaka around 7:30am, but got stuck for an hour in a jam at Nimsar Bazar in Burichang. “For every five minutes we drive, we’re sitting idle for 20,” he said. “It was 11:40am when we finally reached Gouripur. I can’t say how long it will take to get to Dhaka. On a normal day, we would have dropped off passengers in Dhaka by now and started the return journey to Comilla.”
Eliotgonj Highway Police OC Md Ruhul Amin said the overturned covered van lay sideways at the Nuritala point, blocking the road. Some vehicles heading to Dhaka took the wrong lane, worsening the congestion. The van was eventually removed with a crane from Feni, and efforts are underway to restore traffic flow.
Superintendent of Police (Highway, Comilla region) and Additional DIG Md Khairul Alam said the tailback was caused by the accident, but the vehicle has been removed and traffic is gradually returning to normal.
