The Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, officially known as the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway, is one of the busiest and most important roads in Bangladesh. Every day, thousands of buses, trucks, private cars, and ambulances travel along this route carrying passengers and goods between Dhaka and Chattogram.
Among the many places along this highway, the Mirsharai and Sitakunda area has become associated with several eerie stories and local legends. Surrounded by hills, forests, and stretches of road that can become unusually quiet late at night, the region has inspired stories of unexplained encounters for many years.
One of the best-known legends involves drivers traveling near the Chandranath Hill region, particularly late at night. Truck drivers, bus drivers, and especially ambulance drivers are sometimes mentioned in these stories. According to local folklore, strange incidents are more likely to occur after midnight when traffic becomes lighter.
Why Is the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway Considered Haunted?
The landscape around Mirsharai and Sitakunda is naturally dramatic. Chandranath Hill, forested areas, waterways, and long stretches of highway create a very different atmosphere after sunset. During the daytime, the area is known for its natural beauty, but at night the same surroundings can feel isolated and mysterious.
Over the years, drivers and local residents have shared stories about seeing mysterious figures beside the highway, vehicles suddenly malfunctioning, unexplained sounds, and people appearing to signal passing vehicles before seemingly disappearing.
These accounts remain folklore and personal testimonies rather than verified paranormal events. However, the repeated appearance of similar stories has helped the area gain a reputation as one of the allegedly haunted stretches of highway in Bangladesh.
Who Reportedly Experiences the Strange Incidents?
Most versions of the legend involve professional drivers who travel the highway late at night. Truck drivers and long-distance bus drivers are frequently mentioned because they often remain on the road after midnight.
However, one particularly disturbing version of the story involves ambulance drivers. According to the legend, ambulances returning after transporting a deceased person are sometimes more likely to experience unusual incidents.
Stories describe ambulance drivers seeing people or shadowy figures standing beside the highway and signaling them to stop. In some accounts, the driver initially assumes that someone needs help, only to realize that something about the situation does not appear normal.
How Do the Alleged Ghostly Encounters Happen?
One of the most commonly repeated stories begins with a driver noticing one or more people standing beside the highway late at night. The figures may appear to be ordinary hitchhikers or people asking for assistance.
The driver slows down or stops the vehicle, believing that someone may be stranded. According to some versions of the legend, the figures then behave strangely, disappear unexpectedly, or appear in places where they could not normally have reached.
Other stories describe drivers suddenly feeling surrounded by mysterious figures or experiencing an overwhelming sense of fear. Some claim that drivers have temporarily lost consciousness after encountering something unusual on the road.
There are also darker versions of the folklore claiming that a person traveling alone may face greater danger. These claims, however, should be understood as part of the supernatural legend surrounding the highway rather than established events.
The Legend Behind the Haunted Dhaka Chittagong Highway
There is no single accepted explanation for the alleged paranormal activity. Instead, several versions of the story circulate among local people and drivers.
The Chandranath Hill Legend
According to one version, the area around Chandranath Hill was once far more isolated than it is today. Before settlements expanded and modern roads were constructed, local stories claimed that supernatural entities inhabited the surrounding hills and forests.
As people began settling in the region and traffic increased, the quiet landscape changed dramatically. Some versions of the folklore suggest that the supernatural presence became disturbed by human activity and occasionally began frightening travelers passing through the area.
The River-Side Spirit Legend
Another version of the story claims that the mysterious entity does not live in the hills at all. Instead, it is said to remain near a river or waterway close to the highway.
According to this version, the entity occasionally approaches the road after dark. Some storytellers describe it as wandering near the highway in search of water, while others simply describe it as a spirit that appears to nighttime travelers.
Stories Shared by Alleged Witnesses
Several stories associated with the Mirsharai-Sitakunda highway have been passed from one person to another. Their exact origins are difficult to verify, but they have become part of the area's paranormal folklore.
A Car That Would Not Start Until Morning
One story describes a driver traveling through the area during a night of heavy rain. Traffic was unusually light, and very few vehicles could be seen on the highway.
Suddenly, the driver's car stopped. He reportedly checked the fuel and inspected the vehicle but could not find any obvious mechanical problem. Despite repeated attempts, the engine refused to start.
What frightened him even more was the unusual silence surrounding the road. According to the story, he remained stranded for several hours without seeing another vehicle.
When daylight finally appeared, the vehicle reportedly started normally again without any repair. The unexplained incident later became associated with the area's haunted reputation.
The Ambulance Driver's Encounter
Another popular account involves an ambulance driver traveling along the highway late at night. While driving, he reportedly noticed a figure beside the road signaling for him to stop.
At first, the driver believed that someone might need emergency assistance. As he approached, however, he reportedly sensed that something was wrong and became frightened.
According to the story, the driver began praying and asking Allah for protection. He was eventually able to leave the area safely. The experience reportedly remained with him long after the journey ended.
What Does the Alleged Ghost Look Like?
Despite the many stories surrounding the area, there is surprisingly little agreement about the appearance of the supposed entity.
Some witnesses describe seeing a human-like figure, while others speak only about dark shadows or indistinct shapes. In several accounts, drivers claim they could not clearly see a face or determine the figure's exact size.
This lack of a consistent description has added another layer of mystery to the legend. Even local residents who are familiar with the stories often give different descriptions of what travelers supposedly encounter.
What Do Local People Say?
Some local stories claim that travelers have occasionally been found unconscious beside the highway or near their vehicles. More disturbing versions of the legend claim that people have sometimes been discovered dead near stopped vehicles.
In local folklore, unexplained incidents like these have sometimes been attributed to the supernatural presence believed to haunt the road. Residents who repeat the legend often claim that serious incidents are rare and may occur only occasionally.
Interestingly, some versions of the story also claim that whatever supposedly haunts the highway rarely troubles people who live nearby. Instead, the encounters are said to involve travelers and professional drivers passing through the area late at night.
Could There Be a Non-Paranormal Explanation?
Haunted-road stories are common in many parts of the world, particularly along isolated highways. Darkness, fatigue, heavy rain, fog, unfamiliar landscapes, mechanical problems, and long periods of nighttime driving can sometimes create situations that feel frightening or difficult to explain.
Drivers working overnight may also experience severe tiredness or brief episodes of reduced awareness. Combined with shadows, headlights, roadside vegetation, and poor visibility, ordinary objects can sometimes appear unusual from inside a moving vehicle.
None of these possibilities prove or disprove the stories associated with Mirsharai and Sitakunda. They simply provide practical explanations that should be considered alongside the supernatural folklore.
Is the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway Really Haunted?
There is no reliable evidence proving that ghosts or supernatural entities haunt the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. The stories surrounding the Mirsharai and Sitakunda area are primarily based on folklore, driver accounts, and tales that have been passed down over time.
Still, the combination of isolated nighttime roads, the imposing landscape surrounding Chandranath Hill, and generations of mysterious stories has made this part of the highway an intriguing location for people interested in haunted places in Bangladesh.
Whether these encounters have paranormal origins or more ordinary explanations, the legends remain an interesting part of the region's modern folklore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the allegedly haunted section of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway?
Most versions of the story are associated with the Mirsharai and Sitakunda region of Chattogram, particularly areas near the hills and stretches of highway that become quieter late at night.
Is Chandranath Hill haunted?
Chandranath Hill itself is surrounded by various legends and stories, but there is no verified evidence that the hill is haunted. Some highway ghost stories simply connect the surrounding landscape with alleged paranormal encounters.
Why are ambulance drivers mentioned in the legend?
Some versions of the folklore specifically describe ambulances returning after transporting deceased people. These stories have contributed to the belief that ambulance drivers may experience unusual encounters while traveling through the area at night.
Are the ghost stories verified?
No. The stories are mainly based on local folklore, word-of-mouth accounts, and alleged witness experiences. They should not be treated as confirmed historical or paranormal events.
Is it safe to travel through Mirsharai and Sitakunda at night?
The highway is regularly used by buses, trucks, ambulances, and private vehicles. Regardless of paranormal stories, drivers traveling at night should remain alert, avoid driving while exhausted, maintain their vehicles properly, and take extra care during heavy rain, fog, or poor visibility.
