Chutlia intersection, which is three kilometres from the district town, is an extremely risky curve on the Jashore-Kushtia road. 

Jhenidah Roads and Highways Department Executive Engineer Mizanur Rahman said the most risky curved roads in the country were identified in 2015 for taking action to make them safer. Chutlia intersection was identified as one of the riskiest and most accident prone. 

In January, 2016, Tk 2.96 crore was allocated to expand the curved area to 800 feet in length and 120 feet width to make it less risky. The work was completed in June in 2017.

Recently, trucks have started parking on both sides of the road at night and fatal accidents might occur due to this, said Jhenidah Bangladesh Road and Transport Authority Assistant Director Bilash Sarkar. Around 15,000 vehicles from Dhaka, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Chittagong ply the road in 24 hours, he added.

Visiting the spot on Tuesday, this correspondent saw trucks from distant places parked on both sides of the intersection. Drivers cannot see any vehicle coming from the opposite direction due to the parked trucks. Consequently, fatal accidents might occur there.   

Akbor Ali, 72, of Chutlia village said auto-rickshaws, motorbikes and human hauliers often meet with accidents here due to illegal parking.

Aziz Uddin, a truck driver from Kushtia, said they park and take rest at the intersection as there is a lot of space. 

Driver Arman Ali of Jashore said vehicles from northern districts ply the road. It is a busy road connecting Khulna and Rajshahi divisions. “We cannot see ahead as the road is very curved. Besides, a good number of vehicles are parked on the curved side, which may cause fatal road accidents,” he added.

Jhenidah Traffic Inspector Krishnapada Sarkar said no vehicles park at Chutlia intersection during the day. He cannot do anything if vehicles park there at night as traffic police do not do duty at night.

Jhenidah Fire Service Station Officer Dilip Kumar Sarkar said they find it difficult to perform their professional duty if there is a long line of vehicles on both sides of the road. It is not right to park vehicles on both sides of the road, he added.