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Thousands of people have been stranded in a 40-kilometre-long tailback on Dhaka Chattogram highway since early morning today (Wednesday) due to Punno Snan (bathing festival), a Hindu religious ritual.
A huge number of Hindu pilgrims started gathering on the bank of Brahmaputra River at Langalbandh in Bandar upazila of Narayanganj to take part in the bathing festival from last night, causing gridlock on the highway as vehicles kept coming from both sides of the road to pick and drop the devotees.
Jashim, a driver of a fish laden truck, has been stranded since 4:00am carrying perishable items from Rangamati to sell in Dhaka.
Talking to some Hindu pilgrims at Baushia near Gumti bridge, they said they were feeling helpless as it is not possible to walk 20 km where they have been struck since morning.
Not a single transport moved during the last five hours, said Shymol Majumder while talking at Gaushia around 8:00am.
It took eight hours to reach Meghna bridge from Gumti bridge till filing of this report at around 1:40pm.
Narayanganj highway Police told The Financial Express over phone that vehicles carrying thousands of pilgrims on both sides of the highway blocked the road.
"The traffic situation has been out of control because of vehicles coming from both sides to pick and drop people," said the official without revealing his name.
He also said it took several hours to remove a vehicle that was out of order at the spot, bringing a wrecker.