Lawmaker Raises Alarm Over Government Sabotage After Highway Traffic Nightmare
Shahadat Hossain Salim, a BNP lawmaker from Lakshmipur-1 (Ramganj), has expressed deep worry. He wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday night. He claimed a powerful group inside the government wants it to fail. He said that difficult times would come if action is not taken quickly.
The lawmaker made his comments after a severe traffic jam. This jam lasted 32 hours on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway. It stretched from Chandina to Ashariarchar in Narayanganj. Passengers faced great suffering because of this.
One patient died inside an ambulance stuck in the jam. Many people living abroad missed their scheduled flights. They could not reach the airport on time.
Mr. Salim said National Parliament Whip ABM Ashraf Uddin Nijan held a virtual meeting. The meeting included officials from Cumilla and Narayanganj. They discussed the traffic chaos. Mr. Salim was present during this meeting.
He said he was surprised and disappointed. He saw no regret or responsibility among the officials. Whip Nijan, who coordinates development in some districts, was very angry. He said bridge repairs needed public notice beforehand.
Whip Nijan explained that people could use other roads with prior notice. This would help avoid such terrible situations. Newspapers, TV, and social media could be used for warnings.
Lawmaker Salim described the lack of coordination as very worrying. He also spoke about officials not being held accountable. He asked for quick and strong punishment for these officials. He called their actions “extreme negligence.”
Mr. Salim had made similar statements before. Last August, he wrote about people connected to a past leader who are now within the administration. He said they were blocking government development. When asked, Mr. Salim told Prothom Alo that some officials are plotting against the government. He urged the government to take his claims seriously and hold officials responsible.
