Villagers in Jashore plant paddy seedlings on clay road

Residents of a Jashore village have planted paddy seedlings on a muddy road, protesting indifference of the government officials and local representatives to their long demand for a concrete road.

Some elderly residents of Nagarbarni village under Chougachha upazila said the youths might have done it on Friday night.

School children of the village did the same four years ago on the same demand, said Abdul Barik, a resident.

At that time, local public representatives including Sukhpukuria union parishad chairman and members assured them of constructing the road stretching from Brittypara to Gupinathpur areas.

Abdul Muzid, a freedom fighter of the village, said local Chairman Tota Mia repeatedly assured them of constructing the pukka road but the assurance never came true.

Akturazzaman, another villager, said residents of Durgapur, Puradah, Rajapur, Usnipara, Mandartala and Ramkrishnapur also use the same road.

He said the current union parishad chairman has been in power for 10 years who, during his first election campaign, promised of constructing a pukka road in the village. However, he did not keep his words.

The village even does not have a culvert. As a result, little rain often leads to serious waterlogging in the village, Akteruzzaman added.

Tamij Uddin, another villager, said the children cannot go to schools in rainy season because of heavy mud in the road. Also vehicles could not ply it.

In the meantime, Sukhpukuria Union Parishad member Abdul Aziz came to the village after knowing the incident.

Abdul Aziz told this correspondent that the upazila nirbahi officer had sent him there to inspect the spot and submit a report to him in this regard.

The member said a concrete road is being built from the opposite side of the village. Half the three-kilometre road has already been completed. The entire road will be completed gradually.

When contacted, Chougachha upazila engineer Abdul Matin said he did not know anything about the road.