More than five decades after Bangladesh achieved independence, residents of around 10 villages in Lalmonirhat’s Kaliganj upazila are still waiting for a paved road that they say is vital to their daily lives.
For thousands of people living in Duhuli, Barajan, Shialkhewa and surrounding villages under Chalbala Union the more than two-kilometre stretch connecting Duhuli Bazar with the road leading to Kamalabari Union has remained an earthen track since independence, turning into a muddy nightmare during the monsoon.
Every spell of rain leaves the road submerged in water and covered with thick mud, making travel extremely difficult for pedestrians, motorcycles, vans and other vehicles, said locals.
A recent visit to the area found knee-deep mud at several points, forcing commuters to wade through slush.
Vehicles frequently get stuck, increasing travel time and transport costs for local residents.
The hardship is particularly severe for schoolchildren.
Hundreds of students use the road every day to travel to Duhuli Government Primary School and Duhuli High School and College.
During the rainy season, many slip and fall while walking through the muddy road, sometimes sustaining injuries.
Parents are also reluctant to send younger children to school when the road becomes nearly impassable.
Farmers are also bearing the brunt of the poor road condition.
Transporting agricultural produce to local markets has become more expensive as vehicles either charge higher fares or refuse to enter the area during the rainy season.
Many farmers fail to market their crops on time, leading to financial losses.
Local resident Suman Adhikari said the road has remained neglected since the country’s independence despite its importance to the union.
“It is unfortunate that such an important road is still unpaved. Due to the lack of sincere initiatives by public representatives, people have been suffering for years. We want the authorities to take immediate steps to improve the road,” he said.
Another resident, Nur Habib, said locals have repeatedly demanded that the road be paved, but no effective action has followed.
“We have approached our elected representatives many times, but all we have received are assurances,” he alleged.
Residents said the road serves not just one village but around 10 villages, with thousands of people, including students, farmers and daily commuters, depending on it every day.
They urged the authorities to prioritise the road’s development to ease public suffering and support the area’s economic and social progress.
Habibur Rahman, an engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Kaliganj, said a proposal has already been sent to the relevant authorities to obtain a Road ID, a prerequisite for bringing the road under a government development project.
“The gazette notification process is currently underway. Once completed, we will be able to undertake paving work subject to government allocation and approval under an appropriate development project,” he said.