Rangamati townspeople suffer as decrepit roads without repair for years
Run-down roads in Rangamati town remain nuisance for commuters for years. Photo: STAR
Most of the roads of Rangamati municipality have remained in awfully dilapidated conditions for years, much to the sufferings of over two lakh residents. Despite its official declaration as a Class-A category municipality several years ago and consequent imposition of 'exorbitant' holding tax, the authorities have failed to ensure civic amenities to the residents, said a few town dwellers. During recent visits to different areas of the town, this correspondent saw deplorable conditions of different roads in the town. Expressing their grievances about the condition of hospital road, many patients' attendants at Rangamati General Hospital said they have to face problems while taking patients to and from the hospital by ambulances and three-wheelers. “We have been suffering for years. I can't understand why the authorities do not repair the road despite making complaints for many times," Ananda Chakma of Tribal Adam area said. “Even driving motorcycle to my office has become difficult due to bad condition of the road. I slipped several times,” said Ramoni Kanti Chakma, an employee of agriculture office. JF Anwar Chinu, a women leader at Rajmoni Para, said, “Our roads were constructed more than ten years ago. But no repair work has been done since then." Ajit Kumar Chakma and Hongsa Chakma of Rajmoni Para were also echoed the same. The badly damaged roads in the town include those from Banarupa Chowmuhoni to Tribal Adam, Forest Office to Agriculture Extension Office, District Post Office to Sadar Hospital, Vedvedi to Rajmoni Para Road, Montripara Road at College Gate, Jishutila to Upper Rangamati Road, Roy Bahadur Road, KK Roy Road, and the roads at Reserve Bazar and Debashish Nagar. The municipality covering 64.7 square kilometres is also beset with a number of problems including lack of adequate public toilets, safe water supply, sufficient street lights, sewerage system, slaughtering house and children's park and graveyard,. The municipality failed to ensure civic amenities to the dwellers although they have to pay 'exorbitant' holding tax imposed by a former mayor, said several residents. "We get very poor facilities from the municipality although they have to pay excessive holding tax imposed by former mayor Md Habibur Rahman," said civil society leader Kazi Nazrul Islam. “On different occasions, we protested the decision to impose high amount of tax, especially on the poor, but to no effect,” said Sukumar Dewan, convenor of Poura Nagorik Committee. Md Habibur Rahman, who served two terms as mayor of Rangamati municipality, on the other hand, said, “Many development works were done during my period. But some roads remained without any renovation due to fund constraints." Incumbent Mayor of Rangamati municipality Saiful Islam Chowdhury said, "We have been facing fund crisis. A project has been submitted to Bangladesh Municipal Development Fund. If it is approved, all roads will be repaired." The mayor said he has already sat with the locals on the issue of reducing tax to a tolerable level by next June.
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