Police prohibit movement on 13-km stretch of road in Habiganj at night, but why?

Police have prohibited movement of people and vehicles on the Satchari regional highway (old Dhaka-Sylhet highway) in Habiganj after 10:00 pm “for safety reasons”.

People can move through alternative ways during this time, the law enforcement said.

However, locals claim that this decision made by the police will only increase hassle for people.

According to police and local sources, people travel to Chunarughat upazila taking the old Dhaka-Sylhet highway, which passes through the Satchari National Park in Madhabpur and Chunarughat upazilas of Habiganj.

The Madhabpur police station has asked vehicles not to use the 13-kilometre stretch of road after 10:00 pm. Some vehicles plying on this road after 10:00 pm on Sunday were asked to use the alternative Dhaka-Sylhet highway via Shayestaganj.

The police said that there is no mobile phone network in this 13-kilometre stretch of road as it is located in a remote hilly area and surrounded by tea estates. Even if someone is in danger, they cannot contact the police immediately. Police took this decision in the interest of law and order as well as for security.

Ayub Hossain, a resident of Chunarughat, told Prothom Alo that the Satchari regional highway is the only easy way to reach Chunarughat upazila through Dhaka-Sylhet highway.

He maintained that there is no reason for travelling to Chunarughat via Shayestaganj taking a 20-kilometre detour. This will increase hassle for people.

He demanded that the police withdraw this decision.

While speaking on this matter Monday, officer-in-charge (OC) of Madhabpur police station Abdullah Al Mamun said that the chairman of Shahjahan Union Parishad in Madhabpur upazila raised the issue about lack of security on this road during a meeting of the upazila law and order enforcement committee Sunday.

That is why the police have requested people to use alternative roads after 10:00 pm in the interest of public safety, he added.

Stating that there has been no decision about keeping the road closed, the OC stated that police patrol teams are deployed on duty every day. Plus, there will be a police check post in Teliapara area of Madhabpur.

If anyone wants to travel to Chunarughat, they can do so under police security, he added.

When asked whether the police can stop traffic movement on a road like this in the interest of law and order, superintendent of police (SP) in Habiganj ANM Sajedur Rahman pointed out that a decision of this sort has to be taken at the meeting of the district law and order enforcement committee.

The police did not take any such decision, he confirmed.

The point is that people have been discouraged to use this road and told to use alternative roads instead, according to him.