A severe traffic jam halted the visit of Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, during his inspection of the pothole-ridden stretch of the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Ashuganj, Brahmanbaria.
The traffic gridlock occurred on Wednesday morning (October 8), stretching from Sohagpur in Ashuganj to Shahbazpur in Sarail.
The situation escalated after the adviser’s convoy, arriving from Bhairab station in the morning, reached Bogair in Ashuganj around 10:30am. The vehicle fleet was immediately caught in a traffic jam that lasted nearly an hour and a half. Afterward, the adviser disembarked from his vehicle and continued his journey by motorcycle, finally reaching Sarail Bishwaroad.
According to the Highway Police, the gridlock was caused by road repairs where goods were being stored on one side, obstructing traffic. Reports indicate that the 51-kilometer road from Ashuganj Port to Akhaura Land Port is undergoing a four-lane expansion project, but construction has been moving at a sluggish pace.
The road, which has suffered from years of neglect, has multiple potholes along a 12-kilometer stretch between Ashuganj Square and Sarail-Bishwaroad. This has worsened traffic conditions, causing long delays for vehicles, with passengers facing hours of wait.
News of the transport adviser’s visit prompted the authorities to begin filling in the potholes along this section, though the repairs have not yet been completed.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jahangir Alam of Khatihata Highway Police Station said, “The traffic situation worsened from the midnight of October 7, primarily due to the deplorable condition of the road. Highway police are actively working to manage the congestion.”
