Negligence by highway police and the commercial interests of roadside eateries have combined to create a deadly hazard along the Dhaka-Hatikumrul highway, putting more than 1,500 school students and pedestrians at daily risk of fatal accidents.
Long-distance buses and cars stopping at popular establishments—primarily National Food Village and Aristocrat between Panchila and the Hatikumrul intersection—are routinely permitted to drive on the wrong side of the road to avoid traveling to legal U-turns. Despite growing public outcry, local highway police admit to intentionally relaxing traffic enforcement to protect restaurant business interests.
Sources said, long-distance buses and private cars routinely travel on the wrong side of the Dhaka-Hatikumrul highway to access popular roadside eateries in Sirajganj, creating severe safety hazards for over 1,500 local school students and pedestrians.
The illegal traffic movement primarily occurs along the stretch between Panchila and the Hatikumrul intersection on the southern lane of the highway. Vehicles stopping at prominent eateries—most notably National Food Village and Aristocrat—frequently drive against the flow of traffic to avoid traveling long distances to make a legal U-turn, as there are no official turning points or gateways nearby.
Local students, teachers, and guardians have been staging protests and demonstrations over the past few days, demanding immediate enforcement of traffic laws and the construction of a foot-over bridge near local educational institutions and marketplaces.
Primary and high school students—numbering between 1,200 and 1,500—are forced to cross the busy highway daily. Residents express grave concern that the combination of missing pedestrian overpasses and wrong-way driving drastically increases the risk of fatal accidents.
Allegations of police inaction:
Locals and school authorities accuse the Hatikumrul Highway Police of turning a blind eye to the ongoing violations in exchange for financial kickbacks and special privileges from restaurant owners.
“Hatikumrul Highway Thana police remain silent because they receive monthly remunerations and special facilities from these restaurant owners,” said a local school teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“The sporadic enforcement actions they take are just public eyewash—filing one or two cases occasionally to make records. In reality, police prioritize the interests of restaurant owners and reckless drivers over our children’s lives.”
Authorities and owners react:
Responding to the allegations, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mahbub of Hatikumrul Highway Police Station defended the lax enforcement, citing economic considerations of the restaurants and their employees.
“Between 400 and 500 workers will become unemployed and these businesses will shut down if passenger buses and cars stop coming,” OC Mahbub said.
“Furthermore, it is difficult for drivers to travel several kilometers just to take a U-turn. Considering these factors, we sometimes relax our vigilance. Otherwise, we never support driving on the wrong lane.”
The management of the establishments appears unbothered by enforcement threats.
“The police, who fail to stop illegal businesses operating on both sides of the highway—what will they do against us?” said Alamin Hossain, owner of National Food Village. “We run our restaurant business after managing all concerned authorities.”
Repeated attempts to contact the Executive Engineer of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Sirajganj for comment via telephone were unsuccessful.
Local teachers and parents have appealed directly to the Superintendent of Highway Police in Bogura, the Sirajganj RHD Executive Engineer, the District Police Superintendent, and the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Sirajganj to intervene immediately, enforce traffic rules strictly, and build a foot-over bridge to ensure safe passage for pedestrians.