The road from Upazila Sadar to Laxmipur in Doarabazar upazila of Sunamganj is now a curse. This road is used by more than one lakh people from 80 villages of Laxmipur, Surma and Bogla unions of the upazila. This road is the only hope of these three unions to communicate with Upazila Sadar, District Sadar and Divisional Town. Besides, people of Banglabazar Union also use this road. This road built by the Local Government Engineering Department has now become a choke point for commuters due to lack of repairs. The whole road is now impassable as it has been in dilapidated condition for years. According to the locals living alongside the road, normal traffic is a long way off- now it has become risky to walk on the road. Read Illegal sand mining: Sunamganj's biggest challenge Mamun Mia, a student at Doarabazar Government Degree College, said, “Our studies are being disrupted due to the dilapidated road. I have to spend extra car rental and time to go to college." Pedestrians and passengers are constantly suffering while digging holes, mud and waterlogging all over the road. Accidents take place more or less every day. So, the Doarbazar-Laxmipur road is now a source of panic for pedestrians and passengers. Sick people, medical treatment recipients, pregnant women and the elderly are frightened when they hear the name of this road. Everywhere you look on the road, you only see the dilapidated condition. Also read: Stop movement of unregistered, unfit vehicles during Eid: SCRF Mohammad Omar Gani, a resident of Baktarpur village in Laxmipur union, said, “We can't explain how much we have been suffering for years in traveling to the upazila headquarters. We are the residents of the enclave. Suffering does not leave us behind." Retired engineer Bir Muktijoddha Abdul Halim Bir Pratik, a resident of Tengratila village in Surma Union, said, “The condition of the road is very critical. We have to travel at risk. I wish the top administration and the people's representatives the best of luck in repairing the road as soon as possible." In the Surma Union part of the road in upazila up to Sharifpur, Shantipur, Girishnagar, Mohabbatpur, Rubber Dam area is full of potholes and mud. There are piles of rods, bricks and cement scattered in dangerous condition. There is a risk of a major accident at any time. In many parts of the road, small and big broken holes have been created and waterlogging has taken place due to accumulation of dirty water. Pedestrians are constantly suffering due to mud and water. Also read: Thousands suffer as road turns unfit within a year of renovation in Sunamganj Amirul Haque, joint convener of Upazila Awami League and chairman of Laxmipur Union Parishad, said, "I use this road myself. The whole road is impassable. I understand the suffering of the people of my greater Ladhipur Union while traveling to the Upazila Sadar by this road. Contacting the LGED office again and again, I could not find any visible remedy. LGED has been urging the authorities but LGED has not taken any initiative to repair the road yet. We demand immediate repair of the public road." The whole road up to Noapara, Laxmipur, Leyakatganj-West Banglabazar area of Laxmipur Union is covered with mud. As there is no alternative road, pedestrians and passengers have been seen walking on the mud at risk. Not only pedestrians and passengers, but also drivers are constantly facing various problems while driving at risk. Many CNG drivers were seen pushing their vehicles as they got stuck in ditches, mud and waterlogging. Read KOICA takes project on road safety in Bangladesh through ITS CNG drivers Abdul Wadud and Swapan Mia said, "I drive on this road at risk in pursuit of livelihood. As the whole road is dilapidated, after a while the auto rickshaw gets stuck into the mud. Most of the money I earn by driving all day is spent on car repairs. There is no one to see the misery of our roads!" Abdul Awal, vice-president of the central committee of the Jatiya Krishak Party, a resident of Shantipur village in the same union, said, "Greater Laxmipur union is a remote area as a remote upazila. Due to floods and heavy rains, it is not possible to maintain low quality roads here. This road should be rebuilt as soon as possible as the first step in the development of communication in remote areas." Debatosh Paul, executive engineer of LGED in Doarabazar upazila, said about 26 km of road from Doarabazar to Laxmipur is under LGED.  "Hopefully the project will pass soon. But it will take time because of the pandemic," he added. Read BD Finance signs MoU with US-based SIG for infrastructure projects 

Thousands of people of three upazilas of Sunamganj district have been suffering a lot as Kathir-Jaynagar road in Sadar upazila has become dilapidated and unfit for movement.   Although  renovation work was carried out on Kathir-Jaynagar road just a year ago some big potholes have been developed  in many parts of the road, making tit unfit for use.   According to the sources at Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), the government  allocated Tk 78 lakh for the renovation work of the11 kilometer road stretching from Hossainnagar-Joynagar bazar, a portion of Madanpur-Jamalganj road in the fiscal year 2017-2018.   Two contractor firms--‘Mahbub Enterprise’ and ‘JR Enterprise’ got the task of the renovation work of the road.   But after one year of the repair work, the road stretching from Hossainnagar to Sardarpur point has turned  dilapidated, causing immense sufferings to locals.   Several thousand people of three upazilas ---Jamalganj, South Sunamganj and Sadar upazilas--- use  the road for going to the district headquarters and other divisional cities including Sylhet.   Local people alleged that the road has become risky for movement due to use of substandard materials during the renovation work.   Abu Talib Al Murad, a resident of Barma Uttar vilalge in Mohonpur union, said, “Though the government allocated money for the repair work of the road on regular basis but to no use.”   Saju Talukdar, a resident of Mohonpur village, said “We  requested the authorities concerned to repair the work following the government rules but they did not pay any heed to our request.”   Director of the contractor firm, ‘JR Enterprise’ Mohamamd Ripon, said, “We had to count loss while doing the repair work of the road. Though our contract time had expired but we filled up the potholes created on the road.”   Anwar Hossain, engineer of Local Government Division, Sadar upazila, said, “We have given a proposal for the renovation of the road under  a big project. Besides, we also sent a letter to the contractor firm concerned to repair the dilapidated parts of the road.”   Contacted, Executive engineer of Sunamganj Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), said necessary steps will be taken soon.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and Department of Disaster Management (DDM) in a bid to strengthen the existing flood forecasting and warning system under a project financed by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Works of development projects are being hampered because of sand crisis as there is no fixed sand quarry (Balu Mahal) in Kurigram, government officials say.   A proposal from Rajarhat upazila administration for setting up nine sand quarries is yet to be approved by the government.   Sources say sand traders have long been lifting and selling sand illegally from different places in Rajarhat upazila using about 50 dredgers.   Rajarhat Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Jubayer Hossain confiscated and burned some of the dredgers during drives. Sand lifting remained suspended for a month which triggered sand crisis in the upazila.   According to the upazila Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) office, the ongoing development projects are - construction of 2,250-metre road at a cost of Tk 1.72 crore, 3,244-metre road for Tk 2.44 crore in Rajarhat union, work of 1,372-metre road at Tk 86.82 lakh, work of 1,028-metre road for Tk 67.38 lakh, work of 1,327-metre road at Tk 86.82lakh in Gharialdanga union, work of 100-metre road at a cost of Tk 62.18 lakh in Chhinai union, work 1,462-metre road in Rajmallir hat of Umar Majid union, work of 1,068-metre road from Milerpar to Bidhyananda in Chakirposhar union and work of 1,500 metre road at a cost of Tk 1.6 crore from Kalirhat to Bijlir bazar in Bidyananda union.   Besides, different road construction projects at a cost of around Tk 50 crore under the Rural Road and Culvert Maintenance Programme, Important Rural Infrastructure Development on priority Basis (IRIDP) and Rural development project (RDP) of LGED are also underway.   Amid sand crisis, works of several roads have been kept suspended.   Abu Taher Md Safi Babu, an engineer of upazila LGED, said development works of different areas of the upazila has been put on hold due to sand crisis.   According to upazila administration office source, a proposal was sent to the concerned ministry through the district administration for setting up sand quarries at Juykumar of Chhinai union, Sarishabari of Gharialdanga union, Pathanhat and Shiber Dah of Chakirposhar union, Chotura and Kalirhat of Bidyananda union, and Somnarayan and Thutapaikor of Nazimkhan union. Till now, the proposal has not been approved.   Rajarhat Upazila Chairman Zahid Iqbal Suhrawardy said setting up the sand quarries will solve the sand crisis and help resume works of the development projects.