Traffic jam forces road transport adviser to take motorcycle

Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, adviser to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, was caught in a severe traffic jam on the Brahmanbaria section of the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway while heading to inspect the road upgradation work. He was eventually forced to switch to a motorcycle to reach his destination.

The adviser left Hotel Ujanbhati in Ashuganj around 10:15 am on Wednesday (October 8) for the Sarail Bishwaroad intersection. However, his motorcade became stuck in gridlock at Bahadurpur. A journey that normally takes 15 minutes stretched to nearly three hours. After remaining stranded in traffic, the adviser finally reached Sarail Bishwaroad by motorcycle around 1:00 pm.

Earlier, he had arrived at Bhairab Railway Station in Kishoreganj by train. On his way to Brahmanbaria, he stopped briefly at the hotel in Ashuganj before setting out for the inspection.

Since morning, a 15-kilometer-long traffic jam had developed from Sohagpur in Ashuganj to Shahbazpur in Soraail Upazila. The adviser was scheduled to inspect 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.