Dipankar Roy

After dusk, an eerie silence descends on Khulna city. Fear creeps into homes, roads, and alleyways alike -- fear of another murder, another lifeless body found somewhere.

More than 40 hours after the collapse of an embankment on the Dhaki river in Khulna’s Dacope upazila, authorities have yet to take any step for repairs, while water continues to inundate vast areas, submerging homes, croplands, and fish enclosures.

In the southwestern delta of Bangladesh, where roads vanish under monsoon waters, boats are critical for survival. Whether it is fishing, visiting the local bazaar, harvesting crops, or going to school, the rainy season demands one thing above all — a boat. This necessity has made the vessel an indispensable part of the rural economy. For those looking to buy one, the best destination remains the century-old Sheikhpura boat market in Khulna’s Terokhada upazila.

For more than a decade, Shipyard Road stretching from Khulna’s Rupsha Traffic Intersection to Khan Jahan Ali (Rupsha) Bridge has been a nightmare for commuters, businesses and students. What was once a bustling artery of trade and transport has turned into a pothole-ridden stretch.

The Khulna-Satkhira highway, one of the most important trade routes in the country’s southwest, now resembles a patchwork of broken bricks and gaping craters rather than a road.

KDA avenue, one of Khulna city’s busiest and most developed roads, has long been blighted by an ongoing problem -- it has served as an open garbage dumping site for the past 15 years.

Animal rights groups demand sterilisation, vaccination; some locals cite attacks

On the saline fringes of Bangladesh’s southwest coast, where seawater intrusion and freshwater scarcity have long dictated the fate of crops, a quiet agricultural revolution is ripening.

On a Sunday afternoon at Shibbari intersection in Khulna, rows of bowls filled with rice, lentils, vegetables, and eggs were arranged on a table.

The Khulna district, once renowned for its thriving jute cultivation, was home to government-owned jute mills that formed the backbone of its economy.

Despite recent data indicating a rise in the value of shrimp exports, industry insiders say the sector has yet to experience a meaningful revival, as shipment volumes have not shown significant growth.

A lack of adequate sluice gates and poor maintenance of existing ones are causing widespread waterlogging in Khulna’s Batiaghata upazila, significantly affecting Aman paddy cultivation -- the region’s only major crop.

The Khulna City Corporation (KCC) is struggling to function due to a chronic shortage of engineers and technical staff.

Erosion caused by the Kazi Bacha River has put the main road connecting Dacope and Batiaghata upazilas in Khulna at serious risk. At least five major points along the road have already been severely damaged,

Once a proud landowner and hardworking farmer in Daldaha village of Bagethat’s Rampal upazila, Sunil Kumar Mondal now lives on the edge of survival, clinging to the memory of a life that once revolved around his fields and harvests.

As the morning mist lifts over the vast expanse of the Sundarbans, the rhythmic splash of oars fills the air. Small wooden boats, mostly paddled by women, glide through narrow canals and creeks of the mangrove forest.

The bodies of three people who were killed in last week’s violence centring a political rally in Gopalganj were exhumed yesterday for post-mortem examinations, five days after burial.

Ramzan Munshi, 35, was not involved in politics. He spent his days pulling a rented rickshaw and lived alone in a small room in the yard of his family’s home in Gopalganj town.

The cases have been filed with Gopalganj Sadar, Kashiani, and Kotalipara police stations

The Jashore-Khulna highway, a vital artery for the country’s southwestern trade routes, is now in a state of disrepair. Serving as the main corridor connecting Benapole along with Noapara river port, Mongla sea port, and Bhomra land port, the highway has become nearly impassable due to recent monsoon rains and unfinished work.