Bridge repair causes long tailbacks on highways to Sylhet

The authorities have closed one lane of a major bridge in Narayanganj’s Sonargaon for repair, creating long tailbacks on the Dhaka-Sylhet and Cumilla-Sylhet highways.

The work to repair the damaged bridge at Langalbandh began on Tuesday morning, allowing vehicles to move on only one of the two lanes by turns, said Mohammad Shahjalal Alam, OC of Kantihata Highway Police Station in Brahmabaria.

Moreover, the entire bridge was closed to traffic from 10 pm on Tuesday to 12 pm on Wednesday. The vehicles were asked to take alternative routes at that time.   

Most parts of the 40-kilometre highway from Kosba to Khantihata Biswa Road were experiencing congestions on Wednesday, the OC said.

The tailback of vehicles stretched around 34 kilometres from Purinda Bus Stand to Morjal in Narsingdi, said Nurul Haider Talukder, OC of Itakhol Highway Police Station. “We are working to ease the congestion.”

Vehicles are moving slowly on a 39-kilometre stretch from Cumilla’s Moynamoti to Kalamuria, according to OC Mridul Kanti of Mirpur highway police.

With the motorised passenger vehicles banned across Bangladesh in the coronavirus lockdown, which is ending on Wednesday ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, transport workers on goods vehicles said they were suffering immensely due to the traffic congestions.

“Due to the pressure of vehicles, it is taking 10 to 12 hours to cross a path that usually takes two hours. And the heat is unbearable,” said Abul Kalam, a truck driver stranded in Brahmanbaria town.