A four-lane highway suddenly narrows into two lanes at BRB Cables area in Kushtia, creating a dangerous bottleneck for thousands of commuters.
The 450-metre stretch of the Kushtia-Khulna-Chuadanga highway has remained incomplete for nearly three years due to a court order, turning the busy road into a daily safety hazard.
Construction work on the section has been halted following a status quo order from the High Court over a land dispute. While the legal battle continues, traffic movement on the highway has not stopped, leaving motorists to navigate the risky narrowing of lanes.
Most of the four-lane expansion work from Trimohoni-Barkhada to Bottail intersection has already been completed. However, vehicles approaching the BRB Cables area are forced to merge abruptly into a two-lane road, increasing the risk of head-on collisions, particularly for long-distance buses, trucks and lorries.
The danger becomes more severe after dark, as the area lacks adequate lighting, visible warning signs and proper lane guidance. Drivers unfamiliar with the stretch often find themselves unprepared for the sudden change in road width.
Local residents say accidents have become frequent at the spot. Official records show that a young man was killed in a road crash there on 20 August 2023. In January 2025, two motorcyclists were seriously injured in a collision involving a truck and a lorry; one later died while undergoing treatment.
Residents claim many minor crashes and near-misses go unreported, leaving the full scale of the problem unknown.
The dispute reportedly centres on ownership of 99 decimals of land in Jagati mouza of Kushtia Sadar and the construction of a drainage system. Local resident Rezaul Haque filed a writ petition with the High Court, following which the court imposed a status quo order on the disputed section. The order was extended for another six months in April, preventing construction from resuming until October.
Safety campaigners have urged authorities to take immediate measures despite the legal complications.
Mizanur Rahman Lucky, a member of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik Kushtia, said legal restrictions could halt construction but should not prevent authorities from ensuring public safety. He called for visible warning signs, improved lighting and speed-control measures.
Shahriar Emon Rubel, general secretary of Nirapad Sarak Chai Kushtia district unit, said a major highway section could not be left hazardous for years simply because of a court case.
Kushtia Roads and Highways Department Executive Engineer Mohammad Manjurul Karim said construction could not resume due to the court order. However, he declined to comment on steps taken to speed up the legal process.
The Roads and Highways Department has placed a small warning sign at the site, but questions remain over whether a single sign is enough for a 450-metre danger zone on a busy national highway.
The legal dispute may have stopped construction, but it cannot stop traffic. For road users, the unfinished stretch remains a daily test of survival.
