Fouzul Kabir Khan, Road Transport and Bridges Adviser, got stuck in a traffic jam while inspecting the upgradation work of the Brahmanbaria section of the Dhaka-Sylhet highway.
He arrived at Bhairab Railway Station in Kishoreganj by train on Wednesday (October 8) and continued his journey by road toward Brahmanbaria, making a brief stop at Hotel Ujanbhati in Ashuganj. However, after resuming his trip, he got caught in a long traffic jam at Bahadurpur.
Since morning, a 15-kilometer-long traffic jam had developed from Sohagpur in Ashuganj to Shahbazpur in Soraail Upazila. The adviser was scheduled to conduct an inspection of the highway.
According to the Highway Police, the traffic jam was caused by ongoing road repairs, potholes on one side of the highway, and vehicles parked along the roadside.
Sources said the road from Ashuganj River Port to Akhaura Land Port, approximately 51 kilometers long, is being upgraded to a four-lane highway. However, slow progress has caused numerous small and large potholes on the roughly 12-kilometer stretch from Ashuganj roundabout to the Sorail-Bishwroad intersection, resulting in severe traffic congestion. Commuters often take 4–6 hours to cover this section.
The adviser visited to inspect the Brahmanbaria section of the project. On the occasion of his visit, pothole-filling work began on Sunday (October 5). Since repair work is being carried out while keeping one side closed, severe traffic jams have occurred over the past three days. Heavy congestion continued on Wednesday morning as well.
Khairul Alam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ashuganj Police Station, stated that the adviser started his journey from Ashuganj toward Sorail but got stuck in traffic at the Maitree Stambh area in Ashuganj.