32-km tailback on Dhaka-Chattogram highway

Passengers continued to suffer as they were getting stuck in a 32-kilometre tailback on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway on Thursday.

A 22-km tailback was seen stretching from Daudkandi's Meghna-Gumti bridge toll plaza to Madhaiya in Chandina upazila while a 10-km gridlock in Munshiganj district.

The tailback on the busiest national highway started on Tuesday and there has been no respite so far, Nazrul Islam, superintendent of regional highway police, said.

Hundreds of vehicles, including cattle-laden ones, remain stranded on both sides of the bridge, causing untold sufferings to the travellers.

Cattle traders travelling through the highway suffered a lot as most of the cattle fell sick for unavailability of fodder.

"I set out from Dhaka four hours ago but failed to reach Daudkandi yet," said Zakir Hossain Sajal, a bus passenger.

Abdul Awal, a trader of Kandirpar area, said, "The selling at my clothing store hasincreased ahead of Eid but if I can't reach Dhaka with new products in time. Now how would I run my business?"

"Heavy pressure of vehicles ahead of the Eid has actually made the traffic situation worse, said the police super.