Tank rescue operation triggers 30km tailback on Dhk-Tangail highway
A 30-kilometre-long tailback has been created on the both ends of narrow Dhaka-Tangail highway Monday for the last two days due to the rescue operation of a tank-carrying army truck which fell on a roadside ditch at Jamurki area in Mirzapur upazila of Tangail on Saturday.
The rescue operation was continuing till afternoon while miles long tailback was seen from Gorai of Mirzapur upazila to Baoikhola in Basail upazila till.
Sub-inspector (SI) Mamun Miah of Gorai Highway Police Station said an army truck carrying a tank bound to Razendrapur Cantonment of Gazilpur from Jamuna Cantonment of Bangabandhu Bridge fell into a 30-feet-deep ditch when giving side of a passenger bus at Jamurki, leaving three army men injured.
Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on the narrow highway when a wrecker of army engineering core started rescue operation blocking a side of the road since Sunday noon, drivers and local sources said.
Lt Colonel Mohammad Taher from the Engineering Core of Savar Cantonment directing the rescue operation told this correspondent on the spot that they have been conducting the rescue operation keeping vehicular movement running through a single lane.
“The rescue operation will be completed before the sun set and the Bangladesh Army is very sad over the sufferings of the passengers due to the rescue operation,” he added.
However, the army men failed to rescue the 30-ton tank and the truck on Sunday and in the meantime acute traffic jam was created across the highway from Mirzapur to Karatia and it lasted over the night, causing untold sufferings to the passengers most of them were returning the Capital from northern districts after celebrated Eid-ul-Azha.
Meanwhile, army resumed the rescue operation Monday morning and continued it till filing of this report at 4:00pm.
Service holder Mohammad Rabbani from Dinajpur said he along with his family members was going to Dhaka after celebrating Eid at his village home but his bus stranded at Natiapara for the last four hours due to the traffic jam.
Mohammad Alam, driver of one Dhak-bound Dur Digonto Poribahan, said he started from Bogra at 4:00am but had been stranded at Mohera in Mirzapur till 2:00pm due to the tailback.
