146 Lakshmipur roads in ruins; villagers face long-term travel disruptions

The Hazirpara-Choupalli road on the Lakshmipur-Noakhali regional road network remained unfit for vehicle traffic for the past two years. Despite repeated pleas to local representatives, including former MPs, the road remains in disrepair.

The situation worsened following the recent regime change and severe flooding in August, causing further deterioration of the road.

Villagers now face immense hardship due to the lack of reliable transportation routes, exacerbating their long-term travel woes.

This issue is not confined to the Hazirpara-Choupalli road alone.

Field visits to various parts of Lakshmipur district reveal that most roads are in similar conditions. The post-flood scenario has left the rural transportation network in a state of near-collapse, causing widespread disruptions.

One glaring example is the 9-kilometre road connecting the Maju Chowdhury's Hat ferry terminal in Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila to the Motirhat launch terminal in Kamalnagar Upazila. For the past nine years, this road has been impassable for vehicles, leaving villagers disconnected from crucial services and amenities.

Speaking about the situation, Md Ikramul Haque, executive engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Lakshmipur, said, "Due to a lack of allocation for a long time, many roads in the district could not be repaired. The already damaged roads and many more were further affected by the floods. Currently, 146 roads in 40 unions of Lakshmipur are completely in ruins. Urgent repairs are necessary."

Haque further explained that two separate proposals have been submitted to higher authorities. One proposal requests an estimated Tk531 crore for the emergency repair of 1,100 kilometre of roads under LGED in Lakshmipur district, while another seeks Tk33.87 crore for the repair of 46 damaged culverts and bridges.

The prolonged neglect of these roads has caused frustration among local residents. 

Md Murad Hossain, a resident of Lakshmipur, expressed his concerns stating, "We repeatedly appealed to several former MPs of the Sadar constituency, but the road was never repaired. As a result, locals have stopped using it. None of the previous public representatives have paid attention to the road, even for a minute."

Villagers, left with no choice, have taken matters into their own hands. The Bottoli-Dattapara road in Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila, which became unusable two years ago, was repaired through local initiative. 

In September, 10 voluntary organizations came together to raise funds from villagers and spread brick and sand over a 3-kilometre stretch, making it passable again.

Md Rubel Hossain, one of the volunteers said, "The road had been unusable for two years. After the flood, transportation completely stopped. We collected around Tk6 lakh and spread brick and sand to make it usable again."

However, local contractors are also struggling to cope with the rising costs of materials. Md Gorfar Hossain, a local contractor, noted that many tenders have remained incomplete due to the high cost of supplies over the last 2-3 years, leaving most of the roads in disrepair. 

"After the August floods, rural road connectivity in Lakshmipur district has almost been severed," he added.