Six U-turns along the 13-kilometer road of the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway under Gazaria upazila have become major accident hotspots, raising serious concerns about road safety. Frequent road accidents at these U-turns have resulted in significant casualties, with at least 15 people killed in multiple incidents over the past one and a half years.
Accident Hotspots
The hazardous U-turns are located at several points along the highway including at Baushia and Bhoberchar areas. These include a U-turn in front of Manaba Park, another at Pakhir Mor, one near Alif Kacchi Hotel at Bhoberchar, one in front of Sardar Oil Pump at Baluakandi and another near Nurjahan Hotel.
Risky Conditions
A recent visit to the area found that vehicles regularly use the U-turns under risky conditions. High-speed buses, trucks, covered vans, battery-powered auto-rickshaws and motorcycles frequently cross the highway through these intersections. Motorcyclists are among the most frequent users of the U-turns. Most of the U-turns lack sufficient road width on either side as well as speed-control measures or traffic signals. As a result, vehicles often compete to enter the U-turns, leading to collisions and fatalities.
Recent Fatalities
According to Bhoberchar Highway Police, several fatal accidents have occurred at these locations this year. On January 30, a youth named Swadhin Hossain was killed near Pakhir Mor. On February 17, two motorcyclists, Naim Mridha and Sajib Pradhan, died in an accident at Baushia. On May 3, Farhad Uddin Bhuiyan was killed at Bhoberchar. On June 9, Mohammad Yasin Arafat died in an accident at Hospital Point. Earlier, on July 4 last year, two motorcyclists, Mehedi Hasan and Mahmudur Hasan, were killed while attempting a U-turn at Baushia. Three days later, on July 7, bus helper Azgar Ali died when a bus overturned while taking a U-turn. On October 13, 2025, auto-rickshaw passenger Billal Hossain and his wife Alna Begum were killed near Manaba Park when their vehicle was struck by an oncoming bus while making a U-turn.
Authorities' Concerns
Authorities say most accidents involve motorcycles, auto-rickshaws and other small vehicles entering the U-turns suddenly and without adequate caution. Many of the accidents occur at night. Bhoberchar Highway Police Officer-in-Charge Md. Shah Kamal told BSS that the lack of space around the U-turns and the absence of roundabouts make it difficult for drivers to anticipate turning vehicles. Poor lighting at night further increases the danger.
Proposed Solutions
He said that separate entry and exit lanes, speed-monitoring cameras, improved road markings, warning signs and underpasses could significantly reduce accidents. He also stressed the need for greater awareness among the drivers, particularly motorcyclists, whose attempts to make quick and risky U-turns cause many of the crashes. Md. Alraji Leon, Sub-Divisional Engineer of the Bhitikandi Road Sub-Division under the Roads and Highways Department, said plans are underway to construct a wider U-turn at Baushia and an underpass beneath the Meghna Bridge at Jamaldi. He expressed hope that these measures would help to reduce the accidents substantially in the future.
