Traffic Congestion Mounts on Jamuna Bridge Following Vehicle Breakdowns
A major traffic bottleneck has paralyzed portions of the Jamuna Bridge link road, leaving thousands of commuters stranded as vehicles backed up for five kilometers along the Sirajganj section on Friday. The gridlock, which intensified early in the morning, has also created spillover traffic congestion on the eastern side of the bridge in Tangail.
Bridge authorities confirmed that the disruption began during the early hours of Friday when at least five vehicles broke down in the Dhaka-bound lane of the bridge. The resulting obstruction, compounded by an unusually high volume of holiday traffic, brought movement to a crawl, forcing travelers to wait for hours in sweltering heat.
Commuters described a scene of frustration as buses remained trapped in long, stagnant rows. Passengers, unable to endure the stifling conditions inside their vehicles, were seen disembarking to walk along the roadside or seek shade, with many unsure of when the congestion might clear.
Sub-Inspector Tapan Chandra Sutradhar of the Jamuna Bridge West Police Station reported that authorities had successfully cleared three of the broken-down vehicles by late morning, leading to marginal improvements in traffic flow. Despite these efforts, a five-kilometer queue remained near Kadda by 11:15 a.m.
Executive Engineer Syed Riaz Uddin stated that bridge officials are working continuously to address the backlog. Authorities expressed optimism that traffic movement would return to normal shortly as recovery teams finalize efforts to clear the remaining obstructions and manage the heavy pressure on the highway.
