A portion of Kushtia-Rajbari regional highway caved in recently for the third time within a span of two years, disrupting vehicular movement and raising the risk of accidents.  The road stretching from Kumarkhali Bus Stand to Golchattar area was constructed involving Tk 190 crore in 2020. Later, renovation work was carried out in June, 2021 as a portion of it caved in and potholes developed making it unfit for use. A portion of the important regional highway was again renovated after eight months in November, 2021 as it has become risky now for movement for the same reason.   Read: Highways to calm Padma bridge traffic in Khulna Locals said 200-300 meter narrow ditches have been created on the road again. The potholes get filled with water even after a light rain, putting the vehicles and passengers passing the road at risk. Light vehicles like human haulers often overturn on the  road, they said.  The road turned unfit for movement several days ago but the authorities concerned did not pay any attention to it, forcing local people to use the road amid risk, they alleged. During a recent visit, this UNB correspondent found several hundred buses, trucks, private cars, microbus, battery-run three-wheeler vehicles, CNG-run auto-rickshaws use the road daily. There is also a bus stand in the area so many people have to use the road.

Though the road construction cost in Bangladesh is the highest in the world, durable roads are hardly constructed here. The Kushtia-Rajbari regional highway which turned unfit twice within eight months of renovation is not an exception. A portion of Kushtia-Rajbari regional highway, which was renovated barely eight months back has caved in at Golchattar near Kumarkhali bus stand for the second time, disrupting vehicular movement and raising the risk of accidents. Local people alleged that they are facing huge trouble every day while crossing the road. Read: Bhola-Barishal highway in horrible condition The regional highway was reconstructed eight months back and a portion of the road at Gol Chattar caved in on June 20 and it was then reconstructed. But again, another portion of the road collapsed again, making it unfit for vehicular movement, they said. The poor condition of the busy road raised questions about the quality of the work. Thousands of buses, trucks, private vehicles and other modes of vehicles use the road every day and the broken road has posed a great risk to both pedestrians and transports. Read Padma Bridge: Installation of all roadway slabs completed Councilor of Ward N 5 of Kumarkhali municipality said SM Rafiq said the road is being damaged frequently due to use of substandard materials in road construction and renovation work. “The road is under the jurisdiction of the Roads and Highways Department and so the municipality authority has nothing to do with it,” he said. Sources at the Roads and Highways Department said Johurul Islam construction of Meherpur reconstructed the road involving Tk 190 crore eight months back. Read Develop bond market as source of infrastructure financing Local people alleged that some workers died and some got hurt after the collapse of a roof of Kushtia Medical College recently and it was constructed by Johurul Islam Constructions but the controversial contractor firm are getting different work orders one after another due to unknown reasons. Executive Engineer of Roads and Highways Department Md Shakirul Islam said they will soon take steps to renovate the damaged portion of the road. Road construction cost in Bangladesh In a report on June 20, 2017, the World Bank presented a list of infrastructure costs, especially in road construction. It shows the cost of per kilometre road construction is $2.5 million to $11.9 million in Bangladesh, which is the highest in the world. Read Invest in infrastructure for potential halal market in Middle East: Speakers Officials at the Road Transport and Highways Division and Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) told UNB over 2,000 km of roads are needed to repair every year only because of overloaded vehicles. They said there are 2.85 lakh km roads under the LGED while some 21.03 km highways and district roads under the Road Transport and Highways Division.