In a unique protest, Hasnat Abdullah, National Citizen Party’s (NCP) southern region chief organiser, released live fish into the pothole-ridden Debidwar–Chandina regional road in Debidwar upazila, Cumilla, on Friday morning.
The symbolic act took place in the Kachisar area during a public campaign, aiming to draw attention to the authorities’ neglect in repairing the 14-km-long road.
Locals highlighted that the Debidwar–Chandina road is a vital link between the Dhaka–Chattogram and Cumilla–Sylhet highways.
Despite its importance, the road has been in a dilapidated condition for a long time, with large potholes that make travel extremely hazardous.
During rainfall, stagnant water fills the potholes, turning the road into a danger zone and leading to frequent accidents and loss of life. Residents, joining Hasnat in his protest, voiced their frustration over the continuous delays in road repairs.
Hasnat Abdullah, emphasising the severity of the situation, stated, “People commute on this road every day, and just recently, a young person lost their life here. If the authorities cannot fix it, they might as well turn it into a fish farm.
At least people could eat the fish. I’m releasing fish here today and urge others to do the same.”
