50 km long traffic jam on Feni section of Dhaka-Chittagong highway under water

Feni area of ​​Dhaka-Chittagong highway has been submerged due to heavy rains and landslides from upstream. Traffic on the road is severely disrupted. As a result, traffic has been partially blocked from both directions of Chittagong and Dhaka for the past three days.

On Saturday (August 24), officials of the Police and Roads and Highways Department said that about five to six kilometers of the highway in Fenir's Lalpol area is still under water, causing traffic jams of about 50 kilometers on both sides of Chittagong and Dhaka. Due to this, the passenger and cargo vehicles got stuck on the road and created two traffic jams. Besides, those who were going to give relief to the flood affected areas from Dhaka are also in trouble.

According to local sources, although the flood water has started receding in Mohipal area, the water has not receded from Lalpol to Bariyarhat yet. There is knee-to-waist water at various places, causing extreme suffering for passengers.

Speaking to some motorists, it is said that they have been stuck there for the past three days since the highway in Feni area was submerged due to flash floods. Trucks, mini trucks, covered vans, pickups, buses, microbuses, jeeps and private cars are at a standstill on the highway.

Comilla Region Highway Police Superintendent Khairul Islam said, due to the accumulation of flood water on the highway, vehicles have been stuck for the past three days. He also said that there is a traffic jam of up to 50 km from Chauddagram in Comilla towards Chittagong and from Baryarhat point in Mirsarai towards Dhaka in both directions where the vehicles are moving slowly.

He further said that the passengers going to Dhaka and Chittagong are suffering a lot as they are forced to walk three to four kilometers with their bags and goods through the flood water. We have been working in the field for the last two days and trying to coordinate with other agencies to try the road, but the flood water has become a major obstacle in our efforts as vehicles are not able to move in the water.

Muhaiminul Sohag, Deputy Assistant Engineer of Roads and Public Ways Department of Feni, said that the highway has been inundated with flood water since a distance of 153 km from Jatrabari in Dhaka, and five to six kilometers are still under water in Lalpol area of ​​Feni, as a result of which traffic is completely stopped.

He further said, we have received information that the Lemua Bridge in Feni over the Ceylonia River has been damaged by flood water, resulting in complete disruption of road connectivity. But the damage is not understood because we ourselves are trapped in the water and cannot go anywhere.

Bangladesh /KH