A Huge pressure of vehicles just ahead of Eid-ul-Azha has caused long tailbacks on highways causing immense sufferings to the Eid passengers. Tangail and Aricha highway have witnessed unexpected traffic gridlocks amid extreme hot and humid weather making people sick and impatient. As the government withdrew strict lockdown to facilitate Eid trips to villages, people are crowding bus, train and launch terminals. The health safety protocols like social distancing, wearing musks, hand washing and sanitizing are largely ignored during the rush, making the Eid journeys risky in terms of corona infections.
According to highway police, excessive motor vehicle pressure has clogged highways. Around 12,000 to 13,000 vehicles cross the Bangabandhu Bridge every day. However, on Friday, around 33,912 vehicles crossed the bridge. Due to the extra load of vehicles, the traffic jam on the western end of Bangabandhu Bridge at Sirajganj began worsening. As a result, toll collection was halted thrice from the night till Saturday morning. The traffic congestion stretched back on the eastern end of the bridge all the way to the Tangail bypass.
In Paturia, a severe traffic jam has been created since Saturday morning due to the higher pressure of passengers and vehicles. The traffic jam has spread about five kilometers from Paturia to Nabgram. Increased pressure of vehicles has led to traffic jams in the ferry ghat area due to the shortage of ferries. Truckers have to wait for two to three days in ghat areas as BIWTC authorities are giving priority to passenger buses for crossing the rivers.
The government has not succeeded in easing the traffic jams on the highways amid the pandemic. The policy of securing Dhaka by pushing low-income people out of the city may be counterproductive. Repeating calls to the people to stay at home as much as they can, with the government properly reaching low-income people with aid may help keep them at home and tailbacks on highways will not arise.
