20-kilometre traffic jam grips Gazipur highways as Eid holiday rush intensifies

A severe traffic jam stretching 20 kilometres has created in Gazipur as factories and industries begin their Eid holidays, sending thousands of workers rushing back to their native villages.

The congestion started on the Dhaka-Tangail highway in the Chandra crossing area from Monday afternoon and has affected both major routes through Gazipur.

Passenger pressure began creating from morning and intensified after rain showers, with the situation worsening significantly after noon when more factories closed for the holidays.

Traffic has come to a standstill from Kadda to Chandra on the Dhaka-Tangail highway and from Chandra to Kabirpur on the Chandra-Nabinagar highway. 

On the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, the heaviest pressure is being felt in areas including, Tongi, Board Bazar, Bhogra, Chowrasta, Rajendrapur, and Maona. 

High congestion has also been reported in Konabari, Safipur, Pallibidut, Chandra, Kharajora, and Baimile on the Dhaka-Tangail route.

The worst gridlock emerged around 4:30pm due to the surge in homebound passengers.

Passengers from Savar, Ashulia, and Narayanganj are also returning to North and South Bengal via Gazipur, adding to the chaos.

Despite adequate vehicles on the roads, transport companies have been accused of charging excessive fares. The fare from Raptani to Chandra, normally Tk20-Tk30, is reportedly being charged at Tk100-Tk150. 

Passengers say the minimum fare to Tangail has risen to Tk500, while journeys to North Bengal are costing at least Tk1,000.

Harun Or Rashid, a passenger heading to Rangpur, said: “I work in Raptani. The roads are very bad, there are traffic jams everywhere, and on top of that they are charging more fares. The fare from Raptani to Chandura is normally Tk20 but today they charged me Tk150.”

Another passenger, Tofail, said: “I have been stuck on the Safipur flyover for 30 minutes. I left early but got caught in this jam. Now it remains to be seen how long it will take to reach home.”

Officer-in-Charge of Naojor Highway Police Station, Saugatul Alam, said highway police were working on the ground to ensure a smooth Eid journey. 

He noted that many factories closed on Monday, causing passenger pressure to rise sharply from noon. The congestion is expected to continue until the day before Eid.