Former mayor of Sylhet City Corporation and Adviser to BNP chairperson Ariful Haque Chowdhury has hinted at a possible intensified movement over local demands, issuing a 15-day ultimatum to resolve longstanding issues in Sylhet’s road, rail, and air connectivity.
On Sunday, following a one-hour sit-in at Court Point in Sylhet city, Ariful Haque said that if the Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, along with other members of the advisory council, visits Sylhet within this period, most problems could be resolved.
Otherwise, any ensuing movement would be the responsibility of the government and local administration.
Among his demands are the immediate completion of repair works on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway, introduction of additional train coaches on the Sylhet-Dhaka and Sylhet-Chittagong routes, curbing black-market practices in railway ticketing, rationalizing airfares on the Sylhet-Dhaka route, and rapid development of Sylhet’s internal road network with sustainable planning measures.
The symbolic sit-in on Sunday saw significant participation, including shopkeepers who closed their establishments in solidarity, and leaders and members of various professional groups representing Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and the Manipuri community, all carrying banners.
The event was presided over by Hafiz Maulana Asjad Ahmad, Imam and Khatib of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) Mosque and Dargah.
Religious leaders from different communities were seated at the front of the stage.
A journalist present at the event, requesting anonymity, commented that Ariful Haque essentially used the platform to assert his political stance while addressing local grievances.
Following the sit-in, Ariful met with the Sylhet deputy commissioner for a brief discussion.
He noted that despite one year in power, the chief adviser had not visited Sylhet even for an hour, whereas previous governments and heads of state traditionally began their activities with visits to the Hazrat Shahjalal (R) and Shah Poran (R) shrines.
He urged the chief adviser to visit Sylhet immediately and called on the deputy commissioner to bring Sylhet’s legitimate demands to the attention of the government.
The deputy commissioner agreed with the grievances, acknowledging that delays in development projects had created severe difficulties in Sylhet’s connectivity with the rest of the country.
He assured that these issues would be conveyed to the Roads and Highways Department and confirmed efforts to arrange a special train service on the Dhaka-Sylhet route until full road connectivity is restored.
Regarding airfares, he noted that increases have not occurred on any other domestic routes and promised to meet with airline operators shortly to address the issue.
Ariful Haque Chowdhury has previously served two terms as Sylhet City Corporation mayor and has held positions as general secretary of Sylhet District BNP and president of Sylhet Metropolitan BNP.
One-hour sit-in for Sylhet’s transport demands
On Sunday, from 11am to 12pm, Ariful Haque led a symbolic one-hour strike at Court Point, demanding urgent repairs and improvements to the Dhaka-Sylhet highway and overall transport infrastructure. Addressing the gathering, he said: “The time for silence is over. Long-standing neglect and mismanagement of road, rail, and air transport have held the people of Sylhet hostage. We want to see our demands fulfilled within 15 days.”
He criticized the allocation of only Tk3 crore for Sylhet’s road maintenance from the national city corporation budget as insufficient and inequitable.
Ahead of the event, the organisers conducted city-wide announcements and distributed leaflets for a week to ensure participation.
According to sources, the 50.58-kilometer road project from Ashuganj Port in Brahmanbaria to Akhaura Land Port, implemented under Indian contractor Afcons Infrastructure Limited, began nearly eight years ago.
The project has suffered significant delays due to political transitions, work stoppages, and material theft, resulting in severe traffic congestion on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway.
Residents of Sylhet have expressed frustration over prolonged neglect and slow progress, describing the area as effectively held “hostage by transport difficulties.”
