40-km tailback on Dhaka-Tangail highway

A 40-km tailback has appeared on Dhaka-Tangail highway from the east side of Bangabandhu Bridge to Jamuki area of Mirzapur upazila in Tangail, causing sufferings to the homebound people, especially women and children, as travelling is taking three times longer.

The tailback, who had started appearing on Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge highway early since Friday, is now growing longer.

Visiting the areas on Saturday, the tailback was seen stretching along Ashekpur, Shibpur, Rabna, Bikramhati, Rasulpur, Pouli and Elenga area of Tangail Sadar upazila.

Shafiqul Islam, a passenger of a Bogura-bound bus, told this correspondent it took 10 hours to reach Tangail since he left Dhaka on 12:00am on Saturday, with frequent traffic jams.

Women and children suffer the worst due to tailback, with women having to go to nearby houses to use the washrooms.

Jahangir Hossain, who is travelling to Rajshahi by microbus, said they have to face such suffering every year and the Eid joy is ruined by the inordinate traffic congestion.

Having visited the highway in the morning, Tangail deputy commissioner Md Ataul Goni said, “More that 700 members of police are on duty to ease the traffic jam.” He also expressed regret that the tailback causes sufferings to the passengers.