Traffic congestion has become a daily ordeal in the Bhulta-Gausia and Golakandail areas of Rupganj, Narayanganj district, along the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway.

Road improvement and four-lane construction works have reduced the space available for traffic. The situation has been further aggravated by encroachments on footpaths, unauthorised vehicle stands, bus ticket counters, indiscriminate parking and makeshift roadside shops. Thousands of commuters and pedestrians face daily disruption, while people transporting critically ill patients struggle to reach medical facilities. Ambulances are also reportedly getting trapped in traffic.

Markets and roadside stalls selling fish, vegetables, clothing, footwear and fruit have sprung up on both sides of the highway near the Bhulta Police Outpost. More than 100 makeshift stalls selling bananas, coconuts and sugarcane occupy areas beneath the Bhulta and Golakandail flyovers. Trading continues from morning until late at night along an approximately one-kilometre stretch between Mofiz Plaza in Golakandail, Gausia Market and Rabet Al Hasan Market. The encroachments have reduced space for pedestrians and added to pressure on the roads.

Local residents allege that large sections of the footpaths in Bhulta-Gausia have been occupied by shops. Auto-rickshaws, CNG-powered three-wheelers, legunas (locally operated passenger minibuses), HiAce vans and private cars are also parked along the roadsides. Several bus ticket counters operate in the area. Buses and other vehicles frequently stop on the highway to pick up and drop off passengers, disrupting traffic flow. Commuters say congestion can stretch for several kilometres during peak hours.

The situation is particularly concerning for people transporting emergency patients. Several hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities are located in and around Bhulta-Gausia, and residents regularly use these roads to seek treatment. According to local residents, severe congestion can delay the transport of emergency patients from the Bhulta area by 30 to 40 minutes. There are also complaints that ambulances become stuck in traffic.

If it takes 30 to 40 minutes to get a patient to a hospital because of traffic congestion, how can ordinary people benefit from development and road management? one local resident said. Even if a separate lane for ambulances is not possible, the highway must at least be kept free of encroachments.

With the footpaths obstructed, women, children, students and older people are often forced to walk along the main road, increasing the risk of accidents. Aminul Islam, a businessman at Bhulta-Gausia Market, said footpath encroachment and roadside parking were causing difficulties for both traders and customers. Traffic congestion in front of the market was also disrupting business. He called for properly regulated pedestrian access and designated parking facilities.

There is no space to walk on the footpath, so we are forced to walk on the road, said pedestrian Masum Mia. There is always heavy traffic and a large number of people here, which creates a risk of accidents.

Residents allege that encroachments, unauthorised vehicle stands and illegal parking have persisted for years near the police outpost and areas where highway police personnel are stationed, despite repeated enforcement drives. They say the situation returns to normal within days of an eviction operation. Some residents have also alleged that local political leaders and influential individuals exert control over the stands and encroached areas. Others have raised allegations of collusion or tacit support from some law enforcement personnel. These allegations could not be independently verified, and responses from the individuals or parties concerned were not available.

Jasim Uddin, officer-in-charge of Bhulta Highway Police, said eviction drives against illegal encroachers were continuing to protect highway safety. He added that relocating small traders away from the highway would help ease congestion.

AHM Salauddin, officer-in-charge of Rupganj Police Station, said allegations of extortion involving illegal encroachers would be investigated and appropriate action taken.

SM Abdullah-bin-Shafik, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), or chief administrative officer, of Rupganj, said he had conducted on-site inspections over four days to assess the public hardship caused by highway encroachments. He said an eviction drive would begin soon and that strict legal action would be taken against those responsible.

Md Raihan Kabir, Narayanganj's deputy commissioner and district magistrate, said the authorities were treating footpath encroachment and illegal parking in Bhulta-Gausia as serious concerns. He said the administration would coordinate with the relevant agencies to clear the footpaths and improve traffic discipline in accordance with the law.

Residents are calling for sustained monitoring, rather than temporary eviction drives, to keep the highway and footpaths permanently free of encroachments. They say authorities should designate specific locations for bus ticket counters and vehicle stands, prevent illegal parking, and ensure that emergency patients and ambulances can move without obstruction.

The highway is not a private vehicle stand, and footpaths are not commercial spaces, residents say in essence, calling for lasting action. Without a permanent solution, they warn, traffic congestion could continue even after the construction work is completed, while delays in emergency medical transport could have serious consequences.