SM Mizanur Rahman :Thousands of capital-bound passengers got stuck on Dhaka-Tangail highway on Saturday as a 60-kilometer long tailback was created on the road due to heavy traffic and tattered roads caused by incessant rains. Vehicular movement almost came to a halt from Natiapara of Tangail district to Chandra at Kaliakoir of Gazipur district on the highway due to heavy pressure of vehicles with the capital-bound passengers from the northern part of the country.The situation is unlikely to improve much in a day or two due to pressure of huge number of vehicles on the highway after the Eid holidays, a police official said, adding people from 22 districts of the northern region use this highway.The rain slowed down vehicular movement leading to heavier traffic on the roads, added the police official. Meanwhile, the passengers stuck on the highway, especially women and children, went through hell for lack of food, water and lavatory facilities, over and above the agonising wait. Talking to The New Nation on Saturday Saleh Mohammed Tanvir, Superintendent of Police of Tangail district said big potholes and cracks which developed at many places on the highway in the last few days have made it difficult for plying of all sorts of vehicles. “The incessant rain in the last seven days added salt into the wounds of the tattered roads. A big pothole developed in Pakulla area on the highway creating water logging. As a result, the rain water can’t drain out from the roads,” he said.He further said on Friday around 20,000 different sorts of transports, including buses and coaches, plied on the highway. “Apart from these, tailback is being created on the Dhaka-Tangail highway when vehicles go out of order inflicting sufferings on thousands of passengers,” the Superintendent of Police said.Tangail district police, highway police, members Rapid Action Battalion and Armed Police Battalion and community police are working round the clock to reduce the traffic congestion. While visiting the highway this reporter found heavy downpour in the last few days made roads inundated by rain waters and rugged further creating obstacles for drivers to ply their vehicles on the route. As a result, drivers are facing very difficulties in plying their buses on the high way.Police said shabby condition of the highway is slowing down the vehicular movement on Boardghar, Square and Cadet College area at Mirzapur, Gorai, Dherura, Deowhata, Mirzapur Bypass, Kuroni, Kadimdholla, Pakulla, Natiapara, Karotia Bypass, Chandra, Kaliakoir, Tongi Station Road, Bhogra bypass and Chandna intersection on Dhaka-Tangail highway causing untold sufferings to the Dhaka passengers.Meanwhile, vehicle movement from Dhaka to Keraniganj, Munshiganj, Khulna and Barisal remained halted as transport workers and drivers blockaded the first Buriganga Bridge at Keraniganj in Dhaka protesting the toll hike since Saturday morning.Movement of all sorts of transports remained suspended on the bridge. Thousands of capital-bound passengers from Southern region are stranded and a long tailback was created on the road due to the stoppage of vehicular movement.The rain that started from July 16 submerged path hole on the highway and low-lying areas, creating traffic chaos all around.Meanwhile, Met Office said yesterday light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at most places over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions with heavy to very heavy falls at places over Khulna, Barisal and Chittagong divisions and moderately heavy to heavy falls at places elsewhere over the country.
