14km tailback on Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge highway

A 14-km long traffic jam has been created on the Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge highway due to increased traffic pressure.

Traffic jam has been created in Tangail part of the highway from Elenga of Kalihati upazila to Bangabandhu Bridge east Wednesday morning, causing suffering to drivers and passengers.

There is traffic pressure on the 14km two-lane highway from Elenga to Bangabandhu Setupurba toll plaza. However, there is not much traffic on the Dhaka-bound lane at Elenga.

Due to the traffic jam, North Bengal and Dhaka bound vehicles are using the Bhuapur-Tarakandi-Bangabandhu Bridge regional road from Elenga to bypass the bridge.

Truck driver Quader Khan expressed the regular occurrence of traffic jams on this road, but the situation intensified on Wednesday due to heightened road transport activity.

Passenger Samir Mia said: “I have been sitting in the bus on the highway since dawn. The highway is very congested.”

Mir Sajedur Rahman, in-charge of Elenga Highway Police Outpost, said: “The elevated traffic pressure on the highway, coupled with slow movement on the two-lane road from Elenga to Setupurba, contributed to the congestion. Trucks experiencing delays are a significant factor in creating the congestion, with vehicles piling up behind them.”

Both highway police and district police are actively working to alleviate the traffic jam, and authorities expect improvements as time progresses, he added.