Rural roads in Dasar Upazila of Madaripur are being severely damaged by the round-the-clock movement of heavy trucks carrying sand and soil, prompting complaints against sand trader Shah Alam Laskar for flouting regulations and causing public suffering.
Locals allege that trucks are regularly loaded with sand from a sand field near the upazila heliport and driven through village roads day and night, despite restrictions on heavy vehicles.
On-the-ground visits on 19 January found that Shah Alam Laskar had, several years ago, filled low-lying land with sand dredged from the Pirerbari Obdar canal using dredger machines, barges and long pipelines.
Following the death of former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain, he continued selling sand to different areas, transporting it using heavy trucks, residents said.
They alleged that the constant movement of overloaded trucks has led to roads breaking and subsiding, with bitumen layers peeling off and sand and soil spreading across the surface, leaving roads covered in dust.
Excessive loads and irregular truck movement have intensified public hardship, while rural roads built at a cost of crores of taka are being damaged, locals said.
They also reported frequent accidents caused by spilled sand, with smaller vehicles and pedestrians particularly affected.
Van driver Md Taim, a local resident, said heavy trucks carrying sand and soil operate on the roads 24 hours a day, causing cracks and damage, while loose sand and soil on the roads often lead to accidents.
“We are regularly facing danger on these roads,” he said.
Upazila engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department Md Rezaul Karim said the matter would be looked into and necessary steps taken if damage from heavy trucks was confirmed.
Multiple attempts to contact sand trader Shah Alam Laskar by phone were unsuccessful, as he did not respond.
Dasar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Saif-ul-Arefin said an investigation would be carried out and action taken against those responsible if the allegations were found to be true.
