Roads in the Khulna division are turning into death traps, with a significant number of fatalities and injuries in road accidents, especially in Jashore, where the situation has become particularly dire.
In 2024, 689 road accidents were reported across the 10 districts of Khulna division, leading to 633 deaths and 651 injuries. The majority of these accidents involved motorcycles, and the mortality rate is alarmingly high among individuals under 30.
According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) statistics, the highest number of fatalities occurred in Jashore, with 150 accidents resulting in 134 deaths and 155 injuries.
Engineer Md Ziaur Rahman, director of the BRTA's Khulna division, said that from January to December 2024, Khulna division recorded 689 road accidents, which caused 633 deaths and 651 injuries. Among these, Khulna district saw 36 accidents, leading to 40 deaths and 29 injuries. Other districts, including Bagerhat, Satkhira, Jhenaidah, and Kushtia, also experienced severe accidents, with hundreds of lives lost and many others injured.
Nasir Uddin, president of the Safe Road Movement Khulna City unit, expressed concern over the growing number of deaths among those under 30, particularly due to motorcycle accidents. He highlighted that road disorder and the excessive number of two- and three-wheelers are major contributors to the rising accident rates.
"The roads and highways in the 10 districts have become dangerous death traps," Nasir Uddin said. "In many areas, there are potholes and sections where the pavement has come off, making them unsuitable for travel."
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One of the worst-hit roads is the Shipyard Road, an essential access point to Khulna city, which is only four kilometers long. Despite a two-year deadline set over a decade ago, the road's widening and development project has not been completed. Multiple extensions of the deadline have only increased the project’s cost by over 150 crore taka.
"Even after the highest authorities expressed frustration over the slow progress, the situation remains unchanged," said Nasir Uddin.
The Khulna-Satkhira, Jashore-Khulna, Jhenaidah-Jashore, and Khulna-Mongla highways, among others, have all become hazardous. The Khulna-Satkhira highway, for instance, continues to claim lives, with 45 accidents in the last year alone, resulting in 30 deaths. On the Jashore-Khulna highway, large portions of the road are filled with potholes, while the pavement has come off entirely in some areas.
Conditions on the Jhenaidah-Jashore highway are even worse, with multiple sections of the road, including Bhutiarghati, Têtultala, and Bishoykhali, being riddled with large and small potholes. The dust from these roads has made travel extremely difficult, and accidents are frequent.
The Satkhira-Shyamnagar regional highway is also in poor condition, and it has not seen any repairs in over a decade. Similarly, the Khulna-Mongla highway, which leads to the southern seaport, has deteriorated, with large potholes making it challenging for vehicles to travel safely.
Sheikh Didarul Alam from Khulna said, "Heavy vehicles heading toward the port are now moving with difficulty, constantly swaying due to the crumbling road surfaces."
The roads in Khulna division have become a grave concern, with inadequate infrastructure and insufficient maintenance leading to an alarming rise in accidents and fatalities. Local authorities and the public are calling for urgent action to address the growing crisis and make these roads safer for all.