The repair work on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway at Daudkandi in Cumilla has created a 25-kilometre tailback.
Travellers were stranded for hours as vehicles were allowed to use only one Dhaka-bound lane since Wednesday morning, reports bdnews24.com.
By afternoon, the tailback stretched from Chandina’s Madhaia to Daudkandi toll plaza via Gouripur. Ambulances were also stuck.
Mohammad Sohel, a Dhaka-bound bus passenger from Cumilla, said it took six hours for him to reach Gouripur as the bus could move only half a kilometre in four hours.
Jahangir Alam, chief of Daudkandi Highway Police, said they were working to ease congestion. “We are urging the drivers and passengers to help the government do its work.”
Suniti Chakma, executive engineer of the Road Transport and Highways Division in Cumilla, said they were working fast to finish the work.
“Traffic increased ahead of the Durga Puja holiday, which worsened the situation,” Suniti Chakma said.
The engineer also said they were making announcements by loudspeaker, requesting travellers to use the Cumilla-Brahmanbaria road to avoid the jam.
Suniti advised Dhaka-bound travellers to start early for the capital, saying it may take five to six more months to complete the work.