Too important but neglected

A portion of about 30-km-long Khulna-Mongla highway in Bagerhat lies in awful state for long, causing immense sufferings to commuters.

Locals said as Mongla is the country's second important seaport, thousands of vehicles ply the highway every day. It is the only way for traveling to and from the seaport.

But the condition of the ten-km-long portion of the busy road stretching from Belai Bridge to the port in Rampal upazila is so terrible that people even cannot walk during a little shower. During monsoon, it has become risky for commuters to use the potholed highway.

All passengers and freight vehicles used to ply this 10km dilapidated road amid risk of accidents. The mishaps leave commuters injured on a regular basis.

Traders carrying their goods bear the brunt of continuous jerking due to number of potholes and cracks on the road, which has become muddy at many places.

The suffering is beyond description when mud covered the road even during little rain.

Traders and drivers said the road has long been neglected despite having a seaport. Although the number of vehicles moving on the road has increased with time, the width of the road has not increased. The road is constantly being damaged due to heavy traffic and excessive rush of vehicles.

Drivers Shisir Das and Rafiqul Sheikh said the condition of this portion of the road was so bad that it is no longer possible to drive after one trip. The vehicles overturned now and then due to many potholes on the road. If this situation continues, it is not possible to drive through the road.

Local people said they have to suffer a lot during the rainy season. At the time, travelling on this road is like riding a boat bobbing in the water. The damaged portion of the highway remains muddy even in the dry season. This road is no longer suitable for traffic movement.

Azim Kawsar, deputy assistant engineer of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Bagerhat, said the road from Belai Bridge to Digraj of the Khulna-Mongla highway is only 22 feet wide. Thousands of freight vehicles ply the road every day. As a result, the road is constantly being damaged.

He blamed overloading and excessive rush of vehicles for the road getting damaged.

Azim further said around 40 workers are working day and night to keep this road suitable for traffic. The brick soling work of the road is going on.

Bagerhat RHD Executive Engineer Farid Uddin said vehicles with overloaded goods are plying, which is one of the main reasons roads are being damaged.

They will start renovation work of the damaged portion of the highway in December this year, said the executive engineer, adding that it is their routine maintenance work of roads.