Roads and highways continue to witness unusual traffic congestion as thousands of homebound people have started leaving Dhaka ahead of Eid-al-Adha.
The government on Thursday last eased the ongoing strict restriction for eight days till July 22 to allow people’s movement and economic activities marking the Muslim festival.
People who are heading to the northern, north-western and southern districts are having to endure immense sufferings due to traffic jams on the highways leading to ferry terminals.
Ahsan Habib, a service holder at a private company, told the FE that he started his Journey on Saturday night from Gabtoli of Dhaka and it took at least 15 hours for him to cross Sirajganj, adding that “I don’t know how much it would take to reach Dinajpur, my destination, as there has been huge congestion sine Saturday.”
Meanwhile, traffic congestion has started on the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways and in different parts of Gazipur since Sunday morning. The situation there might be worse from this evening (Sunday), as many local offices in Gazipur and Tangail districts are scheduled to announce holiday ahead of Eid festival.
An on-duty official at the highway headquarters control room told the FE that the pressure of homebound transports on the highway has caused the toll collection at Bangabandhu Bridge to be slower, disrupting smooth traffic movement on the highway.
There is also traffic pressure on the routes connecting Konabari of Gazipur, Elenga, and some parts of Tangail highway, the official added, claiming that the situation has already improving there and it would be normal gradually.
“Some offices are scheduled to close today and tomorrow ahead of Eid, which could contribute to the existing traffic on roads. However, traffic and highway police officials have been working to ease the traffic movement, and the situation has improved and would be further so by this evening,” he added.
There was about a 10km traffic congestion in the Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge East area in the morning creating immense sufferings for people, especially children and elderly people, as they have to stay on buses for so many hours, said passengers.
They observed that the traffic jams have reduced a bit since yesterday.
A 23-km traffic congestion has also been found on the Dhaka-Bangabandhu Bridge East Highway since yesterday’s morning.
Dhaka city has also started witnessing huge traffic congestion, as trucks carrying cattle started entering the city since Saturday and it will continue until the day before Eid.
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