Thousands of Eid-bound travellers are enduring immense suffering on a 30-kilometre stretch of the Barishal-Faridpur highway, from Bhanga upazila to Faridpur town.

The road, damaged by countless potholes and craters, has turned the journey home into a painful experience.

The highway is in such disrepair that traffic moves at a crawl. Vehicles break down frequently, stranding passengers in the heat and dust.

What should be a joyous time is instead marked by frustration and fear.

As night falls, the slow movement of traffic adds another layer of anxiety. Travellers worry about falling victim to muggings and robberies in the darkness.

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Fear travels with them as silently as their thoughts.

Md Abdul Jalil, Superintendent of Police in Faridpur, sought to reassure the public. “Night patrols have been increased along the affected highway stretch to ensure the safety of Eid travellers. There is no reason to panic.”

Locals say the suffering did not start overnight. The road has been neglected for years.

After recent heavy rain, the potholes grew wider and deeper, making travel even more dangerous.

People from Faridpur and at least 10 neighbouring districts are affected.

Many point fingers at the Roads and Highways Department, accusing it of doing little to fix the worsening condition.

Drivers and transport operators say their vehicles often suffer damage.

The broken road slows their pace and drains their pockets. Delays are long. Tempers run short.

Abul Hossain, a microbus driver heading to Dhaka, shared his story. “I was heading to the airport to pick up someone. From Bhanga to Faridpur, the road condition is so bad that I couldn’t drive over 15 km per hour. If a highway is in such condition, robbery and other issues become a real threat.”

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Other passengers echoed the same fears. They spoke of discomfort, uncertainty and the constant worry of being targeted at night.

They urged authorities to fix the road immediately and ensure better safety for travellers.

Superintendent Abdul Jalil said the troubled highway has been divided into four zones to strengthen patrols. “If anyone faces any issues or notices anything suspicious, they should immediately inform the police,” he added.

Shafiqul Rahman, sub-divisional engineer of the Faridpur Roads and Highways Department, said emergency repair work is in progress to make the road temporarily passable.

For now, though, the journey home remains long and hard. Eid is meant to be a celebration. But for thousands, it begins with hardship on a broken road.