Journey to Dhaka: The Reality of Traffic Sufferings

Hello dear friends,
I hope you all are doing well and spending a beautiful life with your loved ones. I wish you all happiness and peace.

Last Monday, I took three days off from my office for some personal reasons and traveled from Dhaka to my village in Brahmanbaria. After a long time, visiting my village gave me a different kind of peace. The fresh air, the open sky, and the familiar faces brought a sense of comfort. However, I couldn’t stay long. I spent one day at my parents’ house and another day at my in-laws’ place. Then, on Thursday morning, I had to return to Dhaka as my office duties were waiting.

I woke up early at 5:00 in the morning, got fresh quickly, and reached Bhado ghar bus station by 5:30. I boarded a Shohag Paribahan bus. Usually, there are more passengers during this time, but since it was Thursday, the bus was not crowded. Surprisingly, this created another problem—the driver and helpers delayed the journey while waiting for more passengers. This made the bus late right from the start.

The condition of the Dhaka–Sylhet highway is extremely poor. From Kanchpur to Brahmanbaria and up to the Akhaura land port, the four-lane expansion project has been going on for years. Unfortunately, the progress is very slow. Even though the project started in 2020, less than 20% of the work has been completed. As a result, most of the highway is filled with dug-up roads, narrow lanes, and ongoing construction, causing terrible traffic jams.

Bangladesh is a small country with a rapidly growing population. Along with people, the number of vehicles is also increasing every day. But road development is not keeping pace with this growth. This is one of the main reasons for the never-ending traffic problems.

Our bus moved slowly, and the suffering of passengers seemed endless. Frequent stops, heavy traffic, and broken roads turned the journey into a painful experience. Normally, it takes around 4.5 hours from Bhado ghar to Dhaka, but that day it took more than five hours. I reached Dhaka around 10:30 AM and finally entered my office at 10:45. If I had been delayed just a little more, I might not have been allowed inside.

Still, I thanked the Almighty for keeping me safe and helping me reach my destination without major trouble. However, the long journey, lack of proper sleep, and traffic sufferings left me extremely tired. By afternoon, I started feeling a headache, but I had to complete my office hours. Only after reaching home, taking a shower, and having some food did I finally get a chance to rest.

Traffic: A Daily Reality in Bangladesh

This journey once again proved how urgent it is to improve the road system in our country. Traffic is no longer just a problem in Dhaka—it is now seen in district towns and highways as well. Every day, thousands of working people suffer stress and lose productivity because they cannot reach their workplace on time. On top of that, the excessive burning of fuel due to long traffic jams is also harming our national economy.

Yet, there is hope. If the ongoing four-lane project on the Dhaka–Sylhet highway is completed properly, the sufferings of travelers will be reduced greatly. Vehicles will move faster, and the business activities of the eastern part of the country will also improve.

My journey may seem like a simple personal experience, but it reflects the real picture of Bangladesh’s road system. Millions of people face the same problem every day. Along with government efforts, we also need to be aware and responsible. Starting trips on time, following traffic rules, and driving responsibly can help reduce traffic pressure to some extent.

At the end of the day, I realized one thing—traffic jams may be our daily companion for now, but patience, prayers, and a positive mindset can make this tough journey a little easier.