Traffic congestion on the old Dhaka-Narayanganj road from Chashara to Panchabati, Fatullah Bazar, and post office to Munshi Khola of Pagla has become a daily routine. School and college students, as well as garment workers and professionals, are often stuck in traffic. Owing to lack of proper monitoring from public representatives and top administration officials, it has become impossible to bring the traffic congestion under control. As a result, there is no end to passengers’ suffering from morning to night. The reason for this traffic congestion, among others, is that buses pick up passengers by braking anywhere on either side of the road at Panchabati intersection; freight trucks load and unload at the entrance of the market adjacent to Fatullah Mosque, and the illegally built easybike stand in front of Shibu Market at Fatullah Post Office. As a result, the traffic on this essential road remains gridlocked and passengers suffer for countless hours. Read more: Traffic woes: Dhaka will see a ‘massive difference’ by 2030, PM says Another reason contributing to the traffic congestion is empty trucks being parked on the Dhaka-Narayanganj DND road. Apart from that, goods-laden trucks constantly face difficulty crossing the entry and exit points of Fatullah. Despite having traffic police nearby, they are not performing their duties properly. The road between BSCIC Gate2 to Panchabati is frequently congested. only because the truck drivers and auto rickshaws violate traffic laws, causing significant suffering for passengers. Even pedestrians face difficulty walking on footpaths. Munshikhola, Taltala is the hub for the country's largest rod cements. From here bricks, cement and rods are supplied to north and south Bengal. Many of the regular commuters on this road said it is difficult to tell how they will travel during this holy month of Ramadan. In addition to occupying the entire road, easybike-mishuk-buses-trucks are also parked on mud roads hampering movement of people. The commuters admit that no driver of any vehicle, big or small, wants to obey the traffic rules. In order to remove traffic congestion on this route, the common people strongly demanded increased community policing along with the traffic police. That can free parts of the road of traffic jams. Specifically, commuters UNB spoke to blamed the drivers and helpers of two transport companies - Ananda and Borak Paribahan - for contributing to the traffic mess. The residents of Fatullah demanded that drivers and helpers, owners' associations and labour leaders should be aware and united to ease the traffic congestion on the Dhaka-Narayanganj DND road and the administration and the traffic police have to be vigilant in solving this problem.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said that Dhaka city will witness a “massive difference by 2030” as the government will implement various projects for improving rail connectivity to ease traffic congestion in the capital. “Insha Allah, Dhaka city will have a different scenario by 2030, through rail communication,” she said while inaugurating train operations from Rooppur, Shashidal and Joydebpur railway stations on the newly installed 69.20 km track under three projects of Bangladesh Railway, joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban. The prime minister said that the government has already introduced Metro Rail for Dhaka city dwellers which will be extended from Uttara to Kamalapur in near future. She said that not only elevated, the government is also going to introduce underground train, and for that it has started construction work under the MRT-I project. “It (rail) will save commute time and costs. Traffic of Dhaka city will ease,” she said. Railways Minister Md. Nurul Islam Sujan, Deputy High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Dr Binoy George, and Railways Secretary Dr. Md. Humayun Kabir also spoke at the programme. A documentary on the three projects of Bangladesh Railway was screened at the event. The PM said that her government has constructed the Padma Multipurpose Bridge with own financing and ensured rail communication facilities on the bridge. She said that installation work of rail track on the Padma Multipurpose Bridge is going on in full swing. She added that extension of the rail track to Rupdia and Singia of Jashore is progressing. “Besides, two fast-track projects are being implemented to establish rail connectivity with the tourist destination Cox's Bazar, thanks to the initiative of the Awami League government,” she said. Sheikh Hasina said the government is also constructing a separate rail bridge on the Jamuna river, which is progressing fast.  “Those who once opposed rail connectivity through the Bangabandhu Bridge are now proposing to construct a separate rail bridge on Jamuna river. Construction work of the Bangabandhu Rail Bridge is going on,” she said.  The PM said that construction of Akhaura-Laksam dual-gauge double-line, Dhaka-Tongi 3rd and 4th dual-gauge line and Tongi-Joydebpur dual-gauge double-line are under construction. In addition, she said, the government is constructing Dhaka-Narayanganj dual-gauge line, Bhanga-Barishal-Paira Port railway line, Joydebpur-Ishwardi dual-gauge double-line, Khulna-Darshana dual-gauge double-line, Sirajganj-Bogura dual-gauge railway line. "Moreover, work on Joydebpur-Mymensingh-Jamalpur dual-gauge double-line, Rooppur nuclear power plant rail-link, Akhaura-Agartala rail line, Dhirashram ICD project is in progress," she said. The prime minister said that for the purpose of transporting goods of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, the government took up the project titled “Rehabilitation and Construction of Railway Line with Signaling for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant” with own funding. Under the project, a total of 26.52 km railway track including loop-line, Rooppur Railway Station building, 7 culverts, 13 level crossing gates and signaling-telecom work have been completed.   Sheikh Hasina said they undertook the project to upgrade the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor to a double-line. Earlier, out of 321 km of this corridor, 249 km double-line construction has been completed, she said. The project titled “Construction of Dual Gauge Double Rail Line from Akhaura to Laksam and Conversion of Existing Rail Line to Dual Gauge” was taken up with Asian Development Bank and European Investment Bank and self-financing for construction of remaining 72 km double-line. Saying that Laksam-Cumilla train service started earlier, Sheikh Hasina said that now railway double line construction from Shashidal to Rajapur and from Kasba to Mandbagh has been completed which was inaugurated today.   “The double line on the remaining 33 km route will be completed in June this year, Insha Allah,” she said. The prime minister also highlighted briefly the development works for railway in the last 14 years.  She said that they have constructed 650 km of new railway lines, converted 280 km of meter gauge to dual gauge and rehabilitated/reconstructed 1,297 km of lines.   Besides, 126 new station buildings and 223 station buildings have been rehabilitated/reconstructed, she said.   In addition, 732 new railway bridges were constructed while 774 railway bridges were rehabilitated or reconstructed alongside rehabilitation of 50 broad gauge and 50 meter gauge passenger coaches. Sheikh Hasina said they have acquired 106 locomotives, 20 sets of DEMUs, 535 passenger carriages and 516 freight wagons. The government has developed and modernized signaling system at 130 stations, she said, adding that a total of 142 new trains including Mitali Express have been launched on 44 new and extended routes. 

Commuters who need to go towards Mohakhali using Airport road from Airport Station have been asked to avoid the road from 8:00 pm on Thursday to 12:00 am on Saturday night for ongoing road development work of the BRT project. BRT has issued the special traffic guidelines in this regard due to its ongoing road development works of the BRT project aimed at permanently smoothing the traffic flow. A notification signed by A.S.M. Elias Shah, project director of the BRT, said that the road development work will continue in two lanes out of four lanes towards Mohakhali from in front of the Airport railway station. Read more: Traffic alert: Outbound passengers urged to start early for Dhaka airport It said there is possibility of creating severe traffic jam on the road during the work. People have been requested not to use the road section except for essential travel during the time mentioned in the notification. Everyone's sympathy and cooperation has also been sought in this regard. Bus rapid transit is an improved modern bus transit system providing rapid, affordable and comfortable commuting, which operates in dedicated lanes to provide better passenger services. Read more: UN expert urges Bangladesh to step up efforts to prevent trafficking

Authorities of Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project (BRT, Gazipur-Airport) has requested outbound passengers – going to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport – to start early, between 6pm today and 6am Sunday. A press release, signed by ASM Ilias Shah, project director, made the request to avoid possible traffic congestion during the abovementioned period. Earlier on Wednesday, Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit Company Ltd authorities requested commuters in the capital not to use the route from Khilkhet through airport to Uttara during the same period. Read more: Traffic alert: Dhaka commuters urged to avoid Airport-Uttara route from tomorrow till Sunday morning The move came as traffic situation on the Dhaka Airport-Uttara route is expected to worsen due to development work of the BRT project. Special road development work for the BRT project will be conducted in the Dhaka airport area during November 24 and 27, said a special traffic advisory signed by ASM Ilias Shah, project director of BRT. Under the circumstances, all public and private vehicles were advised to avoid Dhaka Airport-Uttara route during this period. Read more: Traffic movement to be restricted at Dhaka Cantonment Monday

Commuters in Dhaka have been stuck for hours in traffic jam today (September 13, 2022). Rain, that started from the morning, caused traffic chaos in several points of Dhaka, including Tongi, Uttara, Airport, Mohakhali, Bijoy Sarani and Bangla Motor areas. Vehicles were seen stalled for hours on the road. Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) of Uttara Division, Nafiz Kamal Shoibal, said a one-km long tailback was seen from Munno Gate to Milgate area in Tongi and a number of vehicles were passing through with caution due to the dilapidated condition of the road. Potholes have formed on the road due to the ongoing work of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Read: Launch school bus services to reduce traffic: DNCC Mayor

At least nine people were killed and 18 others injured on Saturday when a microbus overturned on a highway in Upper Egypt's province of Minya, said the Egyptian authorities. "The accident took place in the early hours of Saturday as a result of excessive speeding, which led to the explosion of the front tire of the microbus and caused it to overturn several times," Minya Governor Osama Al-Qady told Xinhua. The microbus carrying 27 passengers, including 13 children, was coming from Sohag province in Upper Egypt, crossing Minya and heading to the capital Cairo through the desert road, the governor said. Read: Traffic accident in heavy rain in Pakistan leaves 13 dead Fifteen ambulances were sent to the scene after the incident, said the governor, adding that ten of the 18 injured passengers had been discharged from the hospital. Road accidents in Egypt claim thousands of lives every year. Earlier in August, a collision between a microbus and a truck in Sohag left 17 people dead. Over the past few years, the country has been upgrading its road network, building new roads and bridges, and repairing old ones to reduce traffic accidents

At least 22 people were killed and 33 others injured Tuesday in a bus-truck accident on the desert road of Minya Province in southern Egypt. "A passenger bus traveling to Cairo from the southern Province of Sohag crashed into the back of a truck parking on the side of the road for changing its tyres," Governor Osama Al Qady told Xinhua. Ambulances have rushed the injured to local hospitals. The crash took place 200 km away from Cairo, he added. Read: 7 killed in traffic accident in NE Egypt Road accidents are common in Egypt because of poorly maintained road infrastructure and loosely enforced traffic regulations. Over the past few years, Egypt has been upgrading its road network, building new roads and bridges, and repairing old ones to reduce traffic accidents. ■

Two lanes of Nalka bridge in Sirajganj district were opened to traffic on Monday, aiming to mitigate the sufferings of homebound people of 22 northern and southern districts. The authorities opened the second lane of the bridge around 11:30 am. Earlier, on April 25, the government opened one lane of the bridge to traffic to make the Eid journey smooth and comfortable before Eid-ul-Fitr. Ekhlas Uddin, project manager of  contractor firm Mir Akhtar Hossain, said some works including finishing work remained incomplete while the construction work of an underpass on the east side of the bridge is still underway. The bridge will be formally inaugurated in March next year after completing all incomplete works, he said. READ: Padma Bridge to be opened to traffic in June, Quader reiterates In 1988, Nalka bridge was built over the Fhuljor River on Sirajganj-Bogura highway. Later, the bridge turned vulnerable in 1998 due to the heavy pressure of vehicles. Later, the government took a step to rebuild the 289-meter long bridge with two side railing on the bridge under the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation Elenga-Rangpur four-lane project. Lutfur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Hatikumrul Police station, said he expects that this year, people will enjoy comfortable  Eid journey  

Hundreds of passengers, including children and women, were caught in a long queue of vehicles on the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga expressway on the first day of toll collection due to shortage of toll booths. The authority started collecting tolls from vehicles on the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman since Friday (1 July) midnight. Read: South Korean firm to collect toll from Dhaka-Mawa Expressway for 5 years During the morning hours many vehicles were seen passing very slowly through the Bogail toll plaza. Only four booths opened to collect tolls at the Bogail toll plaza instead of ten booths, said Faruk Hossain, who is in-charge of toll plaza. As a result, vehicles are taking more time to cross the toll plaza, causing traffic jam, he added.

Police filed a case with Shyampur station accusing three individuals of assaulting three policemen in the city’s Jurain on Tuesday morning.  Police Sergeant Ali Hossain filed the case accusing one Rony, his wife Nishat and her brother Yasin Arafat.  Traffic police sergeant Ali Hossain, Sub Inspector (SI) Utpal Datta and Constable Sirajul Islam came under attack in the Jurain Railgate area on Tuesday morning, by the accused.  Later though, they tried to spread a fake version of events through social media that said a mob beat the police trio for harassing a motorcyclist and his wife.  But the police claimed that the traffic sergeant Ali Hossain came under attack because he stopped a motorcycle coming down the wrong side of the road.  Contacted, OC  Mofizul Alam  of Shyampur Police station said the incident took place around 9:30am, when Ali Hossain signalled for motorcyclist Rony, who was riding on the wrong side of the road, to stop. Rony's wife Nishat was on the motorcycle with him. When Sergeant Ali Hossain wanted to see the documents of the motorcycle, Rony instead engaged him in an argument, the OC said.  READ: Madrasah students attack police station in Chattogram over Bhola violence  At one stage, Rony was taken to the nearby police box. Later, when the locals came forward, they (Rony and his wife) peddled lies and disinformation to frame the police. Enraged, several people in the area attacked the police with sharp weapons. Being informed, Yasir Arafat, Nishat's brother, also arrived at the spot and joined the locals and vandalized the police box. During this mob attack, all three police officers got injured. Meanwhile, among the injured, SI Utpal Dutta was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was given first aid at Hospital. The other two injured policemen were undergoing treatment at Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital.  The DMCH Police Outpost in-charge, Inspector Bachchu Mia, said SI Utpal had a sharp weapon wound in his hand. He was given first aid in the emergency department of the hospital.