Residents of Sonargaon’s Sadipur union in Narayanganj are suffering due to the poor condition of the road from Bishnupura to Kajharadi Government Primary School in ward number-9.
Although the road was repaired a few years ago, the lack of a proper drainage system has caused rainwater to accumulate, leading to erosion, soil displacement and large potholes at several points.
The road has been allocated Tk1.13 crore under the Rural Road Maintenance and Repair Programme of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), but repair work has yet to begin as the tender process has not been completed.
Locals said potholes more than one foot deep and uneven sections have developed at several points on the road. As a result, vehicle movement has been disrupted, while rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and CNG-run vehicles frequently break down. The risk of accidents has also increased.
Local commuters and residents said around 1,000 students use the road every day to travel to different schools and colleges.
In addition, around 20,000 workers use the road to travel to Adamjee Export Processing Zone (EPZ), Opex Sinha Garments, Kanchpur BSCIC, Rahim Steel, Bandar Steel, Partex, Jamaluddin Textile, Jahin Textile, Olympic Industries, Gazipur Paper Mills, SQ Cables and Chaiti Garments, among other industrial establishments.
Thousands of devotees visiting the Loknath Brahmachari Ashram in Baradi, Sonargaon, also use the road.
As the road is a branch route, rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and CNG-run vehicles are the main modes of transport for local residents. Even a small amount of rainfall causes water to accumulate in the potholes, disrupting traffic movement. This not only creates congestion but also accelerates further damage to the road.
Residents said they have been hearing for years that the road would be rebuilt with reinforced cement concrete (RCC) and widened. However, no such work has been implemented so far.
They demanded that the tender process be completed quickly and repair and necessary widening work begin immediately.
Locals said the historically significant road was used by former president Ziaur Rahman, former president Hussain Muhammad Ershad and former women and social welfare minister Rabia Bhuiyan during their visits to Sonargaon. They expressed frustration that the road, which carries memories of visits by prominent figures, has still not been sustainably rebuilt and widened.
Residents believed that reconstructing and widening the road would significantly improve connectivity for people in Sadipur, Sanmandi and Baradi unions.
The Sonargaon upazila LGED office confirmed the allocation for the road. Officials said repair work would begin soon after completion of the tender process.
