Severe Traffic Jam Paralyzes Dhaka–Chattogram Highway

A massive traffic jam has brought a 15-kilometre stretch of the Dhaka–Chattogram highway in Daudkandi, Comilla, to a standstill, causing severe distress for commuters. The congestion began in the early hours of Friday at around 3:00 a.m. and persisted throughout the day, with little relief even by midday. Vehicles struggled to move along the highway, leaving drivers and passengers trapped for hours.

Inspector Md. Shah Kamal of Bhoberchar Highway Police Station in Gozaria, Munshiganj, told Prothom Alo that at 4:00 a.m., a covered van travelling towards Dhaka overturned on the Meghna Bridge in Sonargaon. This incident halted traffic in both directions temporarily. Authorities quickly brought in a recovery vehicle and cleared the overturned van within an hour. However, traffic resumed slowly due to the toll collection process at the Meghna–Gomti Bridge, which created a bottleneck in the Daudkandi section.

Daudkandi Highway Police Officer-in-Charge, Mohammad Iqbal Bahar Majumdar, stated that the exact cause of the congestion is still under investigation.

Passengers caught in the jam expressed extreme frustration. Two students from Noakhali, Mosharraf Hossain and Mahbubun Nabi, were en route to Dhaka for a flight to Japan at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday. Having left their hometown at 3:00 a.m., they were stranded in Daudkandi by 6:00 a.m., putting their travel plans in jeopardy.

Similarly, Noakhali businessman Tofazzal Hasan, travelling with his daughter Maymuna Hasan to Dhaka for her college studies, was stuck in the traffic for over three hours, uncertain when they would reach their destination. Elderly people, women, and children were among the most affected. Chandpur resident Sanjay Kumar Sarker, transporting a patient to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, reported that the patient’s condition was deteriorating while being held in the congestion for more than three hours.

The Dhaka-bound Motlob Express bus from Chandpur, driven by Zahid Hasan, also experienced severe delays. A journey that typically takes 50 minutes stretched to three hours, and the return journey further contributed to the jam in Daudkandi. Passengers estimate that clearing the congestion could take several more hours.

Inspector Jahangir Alam of the Gauripur Police Investigation Centre confirmed that officers have been on duty since morning to manage traffic, but the heavy flow of vehicles has steadily increased the congestion, with little prospect of quick resolution.

Key Details of Daudkandi Traffic Jam

Authorities have urged commuters to plan travel cautiously and allow extra time, particularly around Daudkandi, as the congestion remains a significant concern.