15km tailback on Dhaka-Ctg highway

Hundreds of passengers suffered as a 15-kilometre tailback was created on Dhaka-Chittagong highway since yesterday morning due to slow movement of vehicles in Daudkandi area.

Passengers were seen stuck on road for five to six hours since morning.

Bus driver Jalal Hossain said, “I started for Dhaka from Comilla at 7:30am and reached the area at 4:00pm. Usually, it takes 2 to 3 hours.”

The tailback stretched from Meghna-Gumti Bridge toll plaza to Iliatganj in Daudkandi upazila following heavy pressure of vehicles, said Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Daudkandi Highway Police Station.

“The pressure of Dhaka-bound vehicles increased as the railway overpass at Fatehpur of Feni just opened to public. Also, obstruction put up by garment workers at Meghna point added to the tailback.”

On Tuesday, a section of garment workers put up a barricade near Meghna Bridge at Munshiganj point, disrupting traffic movement.

“The tailback has now reduced to 10-12km at Daudkandi toll plaza,” said the OC around 6:00pm.

Inspector Alamgir Hossain, in-charge of Gazaria Highway Police outpost in Munshiganj, told The Daily Star that vehicular movement towards Dhaka at Meghna point regained normalcy in the evening.