CHATTOGRAM, July 16: Traffic gridlock in the port city streets has made public life unbearable in recent time.
City commuters experience traffic congestion every day.
Vehicles stay motion less on the roads even for hours leaving public life gasping.
Sources said thousands of trucks, covered vans and lorries keep in wait in Chattogram port to load cargoes and containers from the jetties and container terminals.
Meanwhile, the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has started issuing pass to the drivers and helpers of trucks, covered vans and lorries to enter the port.
As a result, many of the drivers and helpers who are yet to get pass have to wait at the gates of the port.
So, the trucks, covered vans and lorries have to keep in wait in a long queue on the road from Barik Buildings to Patenga causing severe traffic jam on all the roads of Chattogram.
Particularly, the flight passengers to Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport and hajj pilgrims are suffering a lot due to the situation.
CPA officials said Chattogram port is an international standard one. So, they are issuing pass for the drivers and helpers to enter the port area. It is a regular process. But traffic congestion is not created for issuance of the pass.
Omar Faruk, secretary of CPA, said, "As an international standard port, we should maintain international complaisance. So, our security department is issuing pass for drivers and helpers. All drivers and helpers and stakeholders should help to make the Chattogram port a port of international standard."
Abu Bakkar Siddik, executive president of Bangladesh Prime Mover Association, said, "Despite having driving license, NID etc, the CPA security department harasses the drivers and helpers for issuing passes. We request the CPA to make the process easy for all."
Inadequate public vehicles like city service buses, lack of parking places, shortage of roads, non-coordination of concerned organizations including Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) and Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) are the prime causes of the regular traffic congestion here in Chattogram, experts opined.
The main points of the city New Market, Station Road, GEC point, WASA point, Muradpur, Bohadderhat, Sholoshahar, Coukbazar, Chattogram College area, Jamal Khan road, Anderkillah, Agrabad, Barik Buildings, Fakirhat, Chattogram Port gate area, Pahartoli, Alonker point, Katgor Bazar, Steel Mills Bazar, CEPZ point, Saltgolla, Kotowli point, Karnaphuli Bridge area, Kalurghat area, Oxygen point, Chittagong University area, Kajirdewari, Lalkhan Bazar and other important points of the port city are the major spots for traffic jam. The traffic department of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) can do nothing to control the traffic congestion.
nazim07@yahoo.com