15km tailback on Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge highway, Dhaka-Mawa road free
Homebound people, especially women and children, are suffering due to the traffic jam
Traffic congestion on Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge highway that was created following an accident on Thursday night (7 July) was yet to be cleared till 6pm Saturday (9 July).
The 30km tailback prevailing in the morning now has shortened to 15km as the day progresses.
The stretch of vehicles from the east end of Bangabandhu Bridge to Rasulpur of Tangail's Ghatail upazila is inching forward the north slowly.
It has been learned that excessive pressure of vehicles, Thursday night's accident resulting in a suspension of toll collection for a while led to a 20km traffic jam since Friday morning (8 July). The tailback grew over time.
A bus of Super Sony service started from Kallyanpur for Ishwardi at 1:30 am on Satursday, but even after 14 hours, it couldn't cross Tangai due to the long tailback.
"The bus was scheduled to start from Kallyanpur in the capital at 4.15 pm on Friday but the bus started after 1 am. It usually takes 6 hours to reach Ishwardi from Dhaka. We could not cross Tangail at 3o'clock in the afternoon. I don't know how long it will take to cross Bangabandhu Bridge," Ariful Islam, a passenger of the bus, told The Business Standard over the phone on Saturday afternoon.
"After entering Tangail, the bus got stuck in such a traffic jam that it stood in one place for 2 hours," he added.
He said that the reason for the traffic congestion was that the local buses of Dhaka had entered the road and the trucks on which the animals were taken to Dhaka were seen carrying people on their way back.
"The pressure of homebound people has increased as Eid holidays of all the institutions including garments began on the same day. Many vehicles stopped working on the road, causing congestion,"the passenger further added.
Tangail Deputy Commissioner Dr Md Ataul Gani inspected the highway on Saturday morning and said that more than 700 policemen are on duty on the highway to ease traffic congestion.
"Still people are suffering due to the traffic jam and I apologise on behalf of the district administration", DC Ataul Gani said.
No traffic congestion on Dhaka-Mawa highway, Padma Bridge
Meanwhile, the Dhaka-Mawa highway and Padma Bridge toll plazas are free of traffic congestion.
No traffic congestion was seen at South Keraniganj's Dhaleshwari Toll Plaza on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Expressway and Padma Bridge Toll Plaza on the Mawa side on Saturday morning.
Bangladesh Bridge Authority Executive Engineer Mahbubur Rahman, said the traffic pressure has been decreasing since Friday afternoon.
"The pressure of vehicles is light this morning. Vehicles can cross the Padma Bridge at normal pace," he added.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Expressway Toll Plaza Manager Nazrul Islam said there were long lines for paying tolls on Friday.
"However, today vehicles can pass by paying the toll without any delay," he added.
