Safe roads, smooth rides: Police prepare for Eid rush

With millions expected to travel home for Eid, the Highway Police have identified 207 traffic “black spots” across the country’s highways and deployed rapid-response teams in a bid to ease chronic congestion and strengthen security during the peak travel period.
Traffic gridlock at key points along the national highway network regularly wastes hours for travellers and causes significant economic losses. Seeking to address the long-standing problem before the Eid rush, the Highway Police have mapped out the trouble spots and put contingency measures in place.
“We have identified 207 black spots on highways. Quick response teams have been arranged so they can immediately reach these locations and resolve traffic congestion,” Additional Inspector General of Police Md Delwar Hossain Mian, chief of the Highway Police, confirmed to the Daily Sun by phone on Saturday.
Among the 207 potential congestion points nationwide, 14 are on the Dhaka-Aricha highway, 55 on the Dhaka-Tangail-Rangpur highway, 21 on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, 43 on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway, 45 on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, 9 on the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar highway, 14 on the Dhaka-Barishal highway, and 6 on the Jashore-Khulna highway.
The police unit has also identified 49 roadside bazaars operating along highways that often contribute to bottlenecks.
“The bazaars will be removed before the Eid journey. Besides, we have marked 31 damaged road sections and sent those to the Roads and Highways Department for urgent repair,” Delwar Hossain added.
Security concerns are also being addressed alongside traffic management. Following a rise in robberies, the Highway Police last year compiled a list of 1,443 suspected highway robbers.
“We are conducting raids with the assistance of district police to arrest those who are still at large,” the highway police chief said.
To strengthen operations during the Eid rush, the Highway Police have recently been reinforced with 727 new personnel. The unit has also received eight additional wreckers to quickly remove vehicles involved in accidents or mechanical breakdowns, particularly on highways and major bridges.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir held an online meeting with superintendents of police from all 64 districts on Monday last, according to sources present at the meeting.

During the meeting, the IGP said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had personally called him and instructed that highway safety be ensured during the Eid travel period.
“No extortion, mugging, robbery or rape will be tolerated on highways,” the IGP told the district police chiefs, referring to recent incidents of extortion and mugging reported in Bogura and other areas, the sources said.
Police Headquarters sources said highways and major regional roads have recently seen a surge in battery-run rickshaws and unfit vehicles, including buses.
The IGP has instructed both Highway Police and district police units to ensure that such vehicles do not operate on highways or major regional roads during the Eid journey.
He has also directed police units nationwide to take firm action against extortionists, muggers and robbers to ensure safe travel during the holiday season.
The newly appointed IGP Ali Hossain is scheduled to hold a press conference at Police Headquarters tomorrow to outline security arrangements for Eid and other related issues, according to sources.