The main road leading to the Bangladesh Folk Art and Crafts Foundation, popularly known as Sonargaon Museum, has fallen into a poor condition, causing hardship for tourists and locals.
A nearly 300-metre stretch of the road under Sonargaon Municipality has remained unrepaired for a long time. Continuous rain has caused waterlogging at several points, washing away bricks and gravel and creating numerous potholes, making movement difficult for vehicles and pedestrians.
Locals said the road from the museum entrance has developed large holes due to the lack of permanent repairs. Thousands of visitors from across the country use the road every day to visit the historic tourist attraction, but they have long been suffering due to the damaged stretch.
During a visit, it was found that water had accumulated at several points about 100 metres from the museum’s first gate. The potholes and uneven surface have made it difficult to distinguish damaged sections from normal road areas.
Drivers of buses, trucks and battery-powered auto-rickshaws often face difficulties while avoiding the potholes, with the situation becoming worse during rainfall.
Local human rights activist Shamim said the road had become almost unusable due to prolonged neglect.
“Both locals and tourists from different parts of the country are suffering because the main access road to Sonargaon Museum has not been repaired for a long time,” he said.
Sonargaon Municipality authorities said the road does not fall under its jurisdiction and is maintained by the Roads and Highways Department. However, considering public suffering, the municipality occasionally carries out temporary repairs.
Attempts to contact officials of the Narayanganj Roads and Highways Department for comments were unsuccessful as they did not answer repeated phone calls.
Tourists and residents have urged the authorities to take immediate steps for permanent repair of the road, saying it would reduce public suffering and improve the image of the historic tourist site.
