Weeks of continuous rainfall have left Gournadi section of Dhaka-Barishal Highway, widely regarded as the gateway to southern region, filled with numerous potholes.
In some parts of the highway, the pitch and stones have merged to form tumour-like bumps, while small and large potholes have developed elsewhere, making it difficult to recognise this busy route as Dhaka-Barishal Highway.
Passengers travelling to southern region have been facing extreme suffering for a long time due to dilapidated state of the road. A spot visit on Friday across a 19-kilometre stretch from Bhurghata bus stand in Gournadi to southern border of Wazirpur revealed a picture of numerous small and large potholes along the highway.
The situation is particularly deplorable at busy spots, including Torki bus stand, Madina stand, Gournadi bus stand, Ashokathi, Kasemabad, Mahilara, Batajor, and Bamrail bus stand.
Large holes have formed in the middle of the road at these bus stands, making vehicle movement extremely risky.
In response to the battered highway, Roads and Highways Department is attempting to fill the potholes with bricks. Local residents reported that continuous rainfall over the last few days has disrupted public life and severely damaged Dhaka-Barishal Highway.
They said there is hardly any place on the highway where small or large potholes have not formed, adding that widened portions of the highway are so uneven that vehicles are unable to operate on them.
Besides, in some places, both sides of the road have been cut and left unfinished. Alongside numerous potholes on narrow roads, reckless speeding and irresponsible competition among drivers are causing accidents daily.
Locals added that although Roads and Highways Department is trying to fill the potholes with bricks, these bricks are crushed into dust under the pressure of heavy vehicles, creating severe dust and causing pedestrians and drivers of small vehicles to face serious problems.
The residents also alleged that Gournadi section of the highway has been in an extremely dilapidated condition for many years due to the neglect of the authorities. Multiple drivers said the Gournadi section has potholes in some places and wave-like unevenness in others.
As a result of this uneven highway, the wheels of cargo and passenger vehicles fall into the potholes – damaging engines, tyres, and tubes, and causing immense suffering to passengers. Consequently, drivers have demanded that the relevant authorities urgently repair the damaged areas of the highway.
Commenting on the situation, Md Mizanur Rahman, station officer of Gournadi Fire Service and Civil Defence, said that different parts of the highway have been filled with small and large potholes.
He added that because the extended portions of the road are uneven compared to the main section, vehicles travel at excessive speeds on the narrow highway.
Additionally, three-wheelers operating on the highway run on the main road instead of the extended portions, which leads to constant accidents. He suggested that if the highway is fully widened and repaired, and if drivers are made more conscious, accidents would decrease on this route.
Md Shahin Khan, sub-assistant engineer of Barishal Roads and Highways Department, said that heavy rainfall has caused potholes in some parts of the road, which they are continuously repairing. “However, due to the rain, the repairs are not proving durable,” he added.
