Traffic gridlock cripples Gazipur highways as morning rain intensifies commuter delays

Photo Collected

A+ A A-

Millions of travelers across Bangladesh are facing significant disruptions as the final rush to reach home for Eid al-Adha coincides with torrential rainfall, creating grueling conditions on major transit arteries. While traffic flow on the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways showed signs of improvement Wednesday morning after a night of severe congestion, the heavy downpour has compounded the plight of commuters attempting to leave the capital.

The surge in holiday traffic began Tuesday afternoon, quickly overwhelming the highways as the volume of vehicles spiked after sunset. By nightfall, a 30-kilometer stretch of the Dhaka-Tangail highway was paralyzed, forcing many motorists and bus passengers to remain stationary for hours. Travelers reported agonizing delays, with some describing journeys from the Gazipur intersection to Chandra—a route that typically takes less than an hour—stretching beyond 10 hours.

The situation remains dire for those still awaiting transport at key transit points like Chandra, Safipur, and Polli Bidyut. With public transport supply failing to keep pace with demand, many passengers have been forced to brave the heavy rain while boarding open-air trucks, pickup vans, and other cargo vehicles to reach their destinations in time for Thursday’s festivities.

Driver Alleges Former MP Used Government Contracts to Cover Up Affair

Read More

Local highway and traffic police are working alongside volunteer teams to restore order and manage the bottleneck at the busy Chandra station. Despite the current delays, officials remain optimistic that the flow of traffic will normalize as the day progresses.

Saugatul Alam, officer-in-charge of the Naojor Highway Police Station, acknowledged that the inclement weather has intensified the hardship for travelers. However, he emphasized that despite the rain-induced slowdown, vehicles are maintaining movement and expressed confidence that conditions will return to a more manageable state by Wednesday afternoon.