Vehicular movement on the Cumilla section of the Dhaka–Chattogram highway remained disrupted, with a tailback continuing from Friday to Saturday afternoon.
The congestion was triggered by ongoing road repair works, forcing Dhaka‑bound vehicles to crawl at a snail’s pace.
Several points along the highway saw prolonged gridlocks, causing immense suffering to thousands of commuters, including long‑route bus passengers and goods‑laden truck drivers.
The situation worsened Friday with a heavy influx of vehicles at key points such as Paduar Bazar and Amtoli, leaving passengers and drivers stranded for hours.
Drivers alleged that poor traffic management during the repair works had aggravated the crisis. Potholes, maintenance work and heavy traffic pressure combined to create the tailback.
Khandakar Golam Mostafa, executive engineer of the Roads and Highways Department, said public suffering will ease once repairs are completed, adding that efforts are underway to reduce congestion and restore normal flow.
Superintendent of Highway Police Shahinur Alam Khan said police personnel were working actively to maintain order.
He noted that potholes and ongoing repairs in the Amtoli area had slowed traffic in recent days, eventually leading to the gridlock.
He assured that patrol teams were on duty round the clock and the situation would improve once repairs were finished.
Meanwhile, the prolonged disruption sparked anger and anxiety among passengers and transport workers. They demanded swift completion of the repair works and effective traffic management to ensure smoother movement during maintenance.
