Mohammad Idris:
It is only a few kilometers from Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria to Bishwa Road – but this road is now another name for pain for millions of people. This highway is stalled for hours every day. On one hand, public suffering, and on the other hand, the district’s transport sector is facing a disaster. The main reason for this traffic jam is identified as the freely moving CNG auto-rickshaws, battery-powered easy bikes, rickshaws and freight vans. The movement of such three-wheelers on important national routes like highways is clearly against the law, yet due to the lack of effective control by the administration, unbearable anarchy is going on. Dhaka-bound passengers are complaining that office-goers, students, patients, and even emergency service vehicles are stuck on this road in the morning and afternoon, unable to reach their destinations on time. Ambulance passengers carrying patients and their relatives are facing the most danger. Many patients are suffering serious physical injuries and some are even dying after being stuck in traffic jams for hours, locals complain. The situation is not only a social but also a clear economic crisis. Haji Md. Jasim Uddin Jamshed, president of the transport business organization District Bus Minibus Owners’ Association, says that local buses, long-distance transport and goods transport services in the entire Brahmanbaria district including Ashuganj are being severely disrupted. Passengers are losing confidence in the transport system as they are not able to reach on time. As a result, the transport sector has come to a standstill on this busy highway. In addition, the cost of transporting goods has increased as it takes twice as long as the regular time. Many drivers do not want to come on this route. At the same time, the supply chain of goods is suffering losses, and regional investment interest is decreasing.
Elections ahead, an explosion of anger on Facebook: With the national elections ahead, widespread discussion and criticism has begun on social media about the role of local leaders. Thousands of statuses, videos, and live streams are floating across Facebook, where people are saying, “Don’t just cut the ribbon and take pictures, get stuck on this road and see!” The young generation is saying, “If this problem is not solved, there will be no vote” – this slogan is also now on the streets. Demand for immediate action, attention drawn to the highest echelons of the government: Local dignitaries, businessmen, teachers, and conscious citizens say that a permanent solution to this situation is needed. Three-wheelers should be banned from the highway and shifted to alternative routes. Strict presence of traffic police in the Ashuganj-Bhairab section. Development of modern bus terminals and passenger shelters. Coordinated steps by local administration and public representatives. Formation of regular monitoring teams and provision of mobile courts. Those concerned fear that the situation may get out of control if action is not taken now. Locals have drawn the attention of the Prime Minister’s Office, Roads and Highways Department, Ministry of Road Transport, and the concerned administrative authorities to resolve this emergency. The Ashuganj-Bhairab World Road is proof of how deep the daily suffering and economic disaster of the people of a region can be. The time has come for visible action, not politics of words.
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