A poorly designed U-turn at Padua Bazar Biswa Road on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway has become a death trap, claiming at least 50 lives and injuring hundreds over the past 11 years.
The Dhaka-Chattogram highway, a key corridor for thousands of vehicles travelling between the capital and major eastern districts like Chattogram and Noakhali, has been plagued by frequent accidents at this location.
Experts and locals blame the flawed design of the U-turn for the alarming number of crashes, resulting in severe casualties and significant property damage.
A Dangerous Design Mistake
According to residents, the hazardous U-turn forces vehicles into dangerous maneuvers amid high-speed traffic, increasing the likelihood of collisions.
They argue that a flyover should have been constructed instead, ensuring smooth and safe traffic movement.
“The government had initially planned to build a flyover from Srivallabhpur in the west to North Rampur in the east, allowing uninterrupted traffic flow over the highway and railway line,” said a local transport operator.
“Had that been implemented, vehicles from Chattogram Port, Dhaka-Chattogram, and Chattogram-Feni regions could have moved seamlessly instead of facing this deadly U-turn," he said.
For reasons unknown, the flyover project was never executed, leaving drivers and pedestrians vulnerable to repeated tragedies.
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Victims of accidents at this location include both local residents and travellers from across the country.
At least 23 victims have been identified, including Shahid Ullah and Md. Abdur Razzak from North Rampur, as well as Nadia Akhter Majumder from Gojaria.
Demands for Accountability and Compensation
Kamal Hasan Raihan, a resident of Uttarmpur village, expressed deep frustration over the lack of action, saying, “More than 50 people have died here in the past decade, while hundreds have suffered serious injuries. We demand accountability from the authorities and immediate compensation for the victims’ families.”
Advocate Muhammad Akhtar Hossain, president of the Cumilla South District Farmers' Cooperative Unity Council, confirmed that political leader Monirul Haque Chowdhury has pledged to support the affected families.
“We have compiled a list of 23 identified victims and are preparing legal documents to file a case against the authorities concerned,” he said.
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Shockingly, despite the high number of casualties, none of the victims’ families have received compensation to date.
Authorities Respond, But Uncertainty Remains
Cumilla Sadar South Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rubaiya Khanam acknowledged the issue and assured administrative action.
“If a faulty design is causing repeated accidents and fatalities, the Roads and Highways Department must take responsibility,” she said. “We will formally notify them. Recently, a victim’s family from an accident in Lalbagh Highway received compensation, and we want similar measures for victims here.”
Meanwhile, RHD Cumilla Executive Engineer Suniti Chakma stated that 40% of the U-loop construction work has been completed and that the highway will soon be expanded to 10 lanes.
“Once the work is finished, we believe this issue will be resolved,” Chakma added.
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With no immediate relief in sight, locals fear that more lives will be lost before the long-awaited solution is implemented.