50-km Naogaon road to Bogra in awful state

People of Atrai upazila of Naogaon district are suffering immensely because a 50-km road connecting with Bogra remains in a dilapidated condition for long Bogra.

Locals said half of the road is full of potholes as the tarmac got displaced.

The traffic situation worsens during monsoon every year as the rainwater gathers at places.

Often heavy vehicle gets stuck if the wheels fall into the holes, said Alamgir Hossain of Kaliganj area in the upazila.

This road from Atrai-Bogra via Kaliganj has never been renovated in the last 25 years, he said. This is the only way for communicating with Bogra, said local people.

The farmers and school going children of 15 villages around this road in Atrai upazila are basically the worst sufferers.

Farmers face immense difficulties to take their produced crops to markets while school-going children need to walk through dirty water for attending their institutions, said locals.

Mokamtolahat of Bogra, a famous wholesale trading place of crops including paddy and vegetables, is located at a suitable place where farmers of Joypurhat, Naogaon, Bogra and Natore districts can bring their produced crop easily for having good road connectivity.    

Locals said the situation turns worse if anybody wants to take a patient to hospital.

As there is no alternative route, people of Atrai upazila are risking their lives for travelling to their destination everyday. All type of vehicles including passenger buses, trucks and microbuses are plying on the road with high risk.

Besides, CNG run vehicles also used the road for refuelling gas from Bogra. Such light vehicles often turn upside down if it falls into the big potholes.

Mosaddeq Sarkar, a residence of Kaliganj village, said this road is quite important for them as they have no alternative route linking to Bogra. But it sees no renovation in the last 25 years.

Many politicians pledged to them to repair the road, but it is yet to take place.

Contacted, Alim Khan, executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department of Naogaon, said they have already prepared a project proposal for repairing the road, which is now pending for approval of high officials of the department concerned.