Vehicles remained stuck at Pouli in Tangail’s Kalihati upazila on July 20, 2021. --Photo Collected

Rain further worsens Eid holidaymakers’ journey on Dhaka-Tangail highway

BANGLADESH (The Daily Star/ANN) -- Morning rain intensified the sufferings of homebound people, who remain stuck in a 30km-long tailback on Dhaka-Tangail highway and its link road, a day ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
Gridlock extended from the eastern end of Bangabandhu Bridge to Karatipara of Tangail’s Basail upazila, reports our Tangail correspondent.
Vehicles at Karatipara, Ashekpur, Gharinda, Rabna, Rasulpur, Pouli and Elenga on the highway were not moving following the traffic congestion.
Cattle traders, who got stuck in the gridlock, said they were worried as it is uncertain whether they can reach Dhaka’s cattle market in time and sell their sacrificial animals.
Yasser Arafat, in-charge of the Elenga Highway Police Outpost, said there were heavy pressure of vehicles on the highway. Also a few road accidents occurred and it took time to remove the wreckage from the highway, which worsened the tailback, he added.
However, no casualty was reported from the road accidents, Arafat added.
The police official hoped that the vehicular movement will become normal as the day proceeds.
People were seen traveling on trucks, without maintaining physical distancing, raising the risk of Covid-19 infection.
A commuter, Tanveer Ahmed, said he boarded a bus for Tangail from Dhaka yesterday evening and was stuck in congestion from Abdullahpur. “Around 10pm on Monday, the bus was completely stuck at Ashulia cross-dam area. The whole night, I’ve had to wait there. I reached Tangail in the morning,” Tanveer said.
Asgar Ali, a bus driver said he crossed one km area on the highway in one hour.
To make the Eid holidaymakers’ journey smooth, over 200 highway police are working along with 630 members of district police.

(Latest Update July 21, 2021)