LONG tailbacks on Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-

Chittagong highways inflicted immeasurable sufferings on home-bound passengers ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. This, of course, is nothing new, particularly during festive periods. But letting the problem get old provides no consolation for suffering passengers, especially the women and children among them.

Two fatal accidents on the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway were mainly to blame for the long traffic congestion. Additionally, a goods laden truck going out of order on the two-lane Meghna Bridge did not help the situation. But the problem could have been resolved sooner, had there been better facilities available for emergency response teams to reach the crash sites. Bad planning in the initial stages of highway construction, followed by lack of proper revision work and management, however, in most cases, provide no such breakthroughs. Lack of facilities on highways such as lavatories for passengers, on the other hand, only compounds their misery.

Meanwhile, the closure of a ferry station because of strong currents added increased pressure on highways. That no supplementary measures were taken to tackle the additional load ahead of Eid is disappointing and brings to the fore, again, the mismanagement on part of the authorities that has unacceptably become the norm now. Unless these ineptitudes are corrected, increasing the number of lanes on highways alone will clearly bear no fruit, and public funds will continue to be wasted while tailbacks persistently cause sufferings for passengers.

The authorities should formulate comprehensive plans to correct the wrongs.