The Borabo Bus Stand in the Rupganj area of Narayanganj is a key point along the Dhaka-Sylhet highway. Both registered and unregistered vehicles often wait there for long periods to pick up and drop off passengers. Adding to the situation, construction work is currently ongoing to upgrade the highway to six lanes. This has narrowed the road and made traffic congestion even worse. And it is not only Borabo, there are 21 other points along the Dhaka-Sylhet highway where traffic jams have become a daily struggle. The highway police fear the situation could worsen during the upcoming Eid travel rush.

The Dhaka-Sylhet route is one of the busiest highways in Bangladesh. Every day, long-distance passenger buses, trucks carrying goods, and public transports travel to and from Sylhet, Bhairab, Narsingdi, Kishoreganj, Sunamganj, and Gazipur along this route. But with potholes appearing across many parts of the under-construction highway, vehicles are forced to move at speeds of just 5 to 10 kilometers per hour. This often causes severe traffic jams.

During an on-the-spot visit, several issues came to light including illegal bus stands, extortion by stopping vehicles, picking up and dropping off passengers randomly, driving on the wrong side of the road, narrow lanes, and sudden vehicle breakdowns, all contributing to long tailbacks. Additionally, with Eid approaching, vehicles are being stopped for document checks, which is slowing down traffic and causing hundreds of vehicles to be stuck in jams, leaving commuters frustrated.

Sarwar Rahman, a passenger, shared his experience. He boarded a bus from Sayedabad to Kishoreganj on Thursday (March 13), but the journey from Kanchpur to Borabo alone took four hours. Expressing his frustration, he said, “This stretch usually takes just 15 to 20 minutes, but it took four hours today. Traffic jams on this road are a regular ordeal.”

A driver from Shyamoli Paribahan, which operates on the Dhaka-Sylhet route, said the highway was already narrow, making traffic jams a common issue. Now, with the roadwork to upgrade it to six lanes, the highway has become even narrower, causing frequent and severe congestion.

To ease traffic during the upcoming Eid rush, the highway police have already begun taking steps. According to them, there are 21 critical points along the Dhaka-Sylhet highway where traffic jams are likely. For instance, the narrow bridge at Madhobpur Bazar is a major bottleneck. At Alipur Bazar, potholes on both sides of the level crossing contribute to congestion. The roundabout and bus stand at Shayestaganj, where multiple roads intersect, are also prone to chaos due to haphazardly parked vehicles.

Other problem spots include Sherpur Toll Plaza, where slow toll collection causes delays, and Kanchan Toll Plaza, where ongoing road repairs are adding to the problem. The Tarabo Bus Stand is also under renovation, and large potholes in the area make it difficult for vehicles to pass smoothly.

At Barabo Bus Stand, the six-lane construction work is ongoing. Moreover, the presence of garment factories on both sides of the road creates additional congestion when workers cross the street.

Another major traffic congestion hotspot on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway is the Madhabdi Bus Stand in Narsingdi. The narrow road and local buses stopping in one lane to pick up and drop off passengers slow down traffic significantly. Nearby, the construction work near the Saheb Pratap Bus Stand forces vehicles onto alternative routes. But these roads are also in poor condition, leading to more traffic jams. The situation is similar at Velanagar Bus Station, where the construction of a flyover has diverted traffic to rough alternative roads, causing long tailbacks. At Itakhola Mor, flyover and roundabout construction has worsened the condition of the detour roads, slowing down traffic.

In Bhairab, Kishoreganj, the Durjoy Mor intersection is almost always jammed. Additionally, the areas around Mintoo Mia Pump, Navana CNG Pump, and the Sylhet Bus Stand in Bhairab face severe congestion.

Toll collection on the highway is another major cause of traffic jams. At Natal er Mor in Bhairab, toll booths slow down traffic, and the movement of trucks and lorries from ferry terminals adds to the gridlock. In Jagannathpur, Bhairab, traffic gets stuck due to side roads merging into the highway.

The Baroicha Bus Stop in Belabo, Narsingdi, faces congestion because of its four-way intersection. Similarly, nearby Narayanpur Bus Stand, located at another busy crossroads, struggles with traffic jams. In the Mahmudabad area of Raipura upazila in Narsingdi, vehicles move slowly due to a narrow bridge. In Ashuganj Bazar, Brahmanbaria, broken roads and pedestrian crossings often lead to jams. At the Bishwa road intersection in Sarail, broken roads and potholes, combined with stalled construction work, leave vehicles stuck for long periods.

Police informed that from Madhabpur to Alipur in Habiganj, about 15 kilometers of road, including bridges and culverts, are undergoing expansion. Roadwork is also ongoing in several areas of Sylhet, including Osmaninagar, Balaganj, and Dakshin Surma. However, the slow progress is causing severe trouble for travelers. On the Sylhet section of the highway, potholes and broken roads in over a hundred spots make driving risky.

Drivers shared that earlier, traveling between Sylhet and Dhaka used to take about 5 to 6 hours, thanks to better road conditions. But since the six-lane construction began, most repair work has halted. Now, they’re facing dual challenges—trouble from the ongoing expansion and risks from the damaged roads. At times, they’re stuck in traffic for hours, doubling the usual travel time between Sylhet and Dhaka.

Md Shamsul Alam, Additional DIG (HR & Media) of Highway Police, warned that traffic congestion during Eid could worsen along the Dhaka-Sylhet highway. Speaking to Bonik Barta, he said, “The ongoing construction and repair works are already causing regular traffic jams. This suffering could intensify during Eid. However, we’ve already taken steps to ease the Eid journey, including removing illegal structures along the highway and implementing other necessary measures.”