Severe traffic congestion on the Dhaka–Sylhet Highway in Ashuganj forced the Road Transport and Bridges Adviser, Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan, to abandon his car convoy and continue his journey on a motorcycle after being stuck for over an hour.
On Wednesday morning (October 8), the adviser arrived at Bhairab Railway Station from Dhaka by train. From there, he set out with his motorcade toward the Sarail–Bishwaroad intersection to inspect the highway. However, upon reaching Sohagpur in Ashuganj, he became trapped in a massive traffic jam. After waiting for nearly an hour without any vehicle movement, he decided to continue his journey on a motorcycle.
Wearing glasses and a helmet, the adviser mounting a motorcycle drew curiosity and surprise among nearby police officers and the public. Police quickly began clearing the road, while many onlookers captured the rare scene on their mobile phones.
According to Ashuganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Khairul Alam, the adviser left Ashuganj’s Hotel Ujanbhati area around 10:15 a.m. for Sarail. When his convoy got stuck at Sohagpur, he continued the rest of the way by motorcycle.
Local administration officials had been active since early morning in preparation for the adviser’s visit. Temporary repair work, including filling potholes with bricks and sand, was underway. However, heavy rainfall and the pressure of excessive vehicles made the situation uncontrollable.
Notably, traffic congestion had started from midnight on Tuesday, stretching from Sohagpur in Ashuganj to Shahbazpur in Sarail — a distance of nearly 15 kilometers. By morning, the gridlock worsened, causing immense suffering for hundreds of passengers and drivers.