The important Abdabkai-Katiadi road in Habiganj has remained in a dilapidated condition for a long time, causing severe suffering to residents of at least 30 villages in Habiganj Sadar and Bahubal upazilas.
Even light rain leaves the road covered in mud and stagnant water, making it almost unusable for pedestrians and vehicles. Locals say hundreds of vehicles, including CNG-run autorickshaws and easy-bikes, use the road every day, while patients, students, traders and commuters face serious difficulties.
According to local residents, people from Sharifpur, Hamidpur, Uttar Sultanshi, Sultanshi, Hatirthan, Chanpur, Abdabkai, Aushpara, Raghudayal and Radhananda in Habiganj Sadar, and Jamunabad, Bandakshin, Tarapasha, Kazihata, Nandanpur, Bhatkatia and Shibpasha in Bahubal, along with nearby villages, depend on the road for daily movement.
Around 300 to 400 vehicles from two CNG and easy-bike stands at Katiadi Bazar travel through the road every day. But several sections of the nearly two-kilometre stretch, including Abdabkai point, Raghudayal, Hatirthan Mosque Market, the entrance to Hatirthan village, Dhopakhal Bazar and Katiadi Bazar, have become nearly unfit for movement as the bitumen surface has worn away.
During a visit, large potholes were seen at different points of the road. Rainwater had accumulated in the damaged sections, turning them muddy and risky for pedestrians and vehicles.
Locals said patients often face hardship while being taken to hospital, while students struggle to reach schools on time. Easy-bikes frequently overturn on the damaged road, raising fears of accidents, particularly when carrying pregnant women and seriously ill patients.
Mainul Hasan Dulal, a resident of Uttar Sultanshi village, said the road was in a very fragile condition.
“Emergency repairs were carried out several times, but the bricks and sand were washed away, creating potholes again. The road needs to be repaired urgently to reduce public suffering,” he said.
Abdur Rashid, a pharmacy owner at Dhopakhal Bazar, said temporary repairs bring relief only for a few days.
“After emergency repairs, people can move peacefully for some time. But within one or two months, potholes appear again. Several parts of the road are now in a terrible condition,” he said.
Md Kasum Ali, president of the Katiadi Bazar easy-bike owners and workers’ union, said the road had become increasingly difficult for both vehicles and people.
“There are two CNG and easy-bike stands at Katiadi Bazar. Every day, 300 to 400 vehicles from the two stands use this road. Trucks and covered vans also move through the road for business purposes. But the road has now become almost unfit for movement,” he said.
Easy-bike driver Emon Mia said drivers and passengers suffer daily on the Katiadi-Habiganj route.
“We carry passengers from Katiadi Bazar to Habiganj every day. The journey from Katiadi to Abdabkai is very difficult. Vehicles often overturn, and we cannot take passengers and patients to Habiganj on time,” he said.
Residents alleged that although emergency repairs are sometimes carried out, no effective initiative has been taken for a full renovation of the road. They urged the authorities concerned to repair the road immediately to ease public suffering.
Muhammad Iraz Uddin Dewan, Habiganj Sadar Upazila engineer, said the authorities were aware of the condition of the road.
“We know about the condition of the road. It will be repaired soon on a priority basis,” he said.
