SREEPUR, GAZIPUR, Jan 26: Although foot-over-bridges have been built over the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway to ensure safe crossings, many pedestrians continue to ignore them, risking their lives by running across the busy road.
The situation is particularly alarming at Nayanpur Bazar in Gazipur's Sreepur Upazila, where broken barriers under the footbridge have made it easier for people to cross dangerously.
The four-lane highway was equipped with footbridges and iron barriers on the dividers to prevent jaywalking. But locals say many of those barriers have been damaged, allowing pedestrians to slip through. As a result, despite the presence of footbridges, people are seen rushing across the highway or raising their hands to stop speeding vehicles.
Nayanpur Bazar is surrounded by several garment factories, textile mills and ceramic industries. During office hours and lunch breaks, thousands of workers and residents move through the area, creating chaotic and risky scenes under the footbridge.
According to the Roads and Highways Department, nine footbridges were built in Gazipur between 2022 and 2023 at Salna, Ipsha Gate, Rajendrapur Bazar, Fire Service, Hotapara, Bagher Bazar, Ansar Road, Nayanpur and Jaina Bazar. While locals initially used them, officials admit usage has declined. Many now break the barriers and cross underneath to save time and effort.
Pedestrian Alpana Akter said, "It takes time to climb the bridge, so I cross underneath." Humayun Kabir, a young man, echoed the same. An elderly couple complained that climbing the stairs is difficult for them. "If there were lifts, we would use the bridge," they said.
Khorshed Alam, Manager of Noakhali Hotel at Jaina Bazar, said a man named Harech was killed recently after being hit by a pickup truck. "If the barriers had been intact, he might have been forced to use the footbridge," he added.
Gazipur Roads and Highways Department's Sub-Divisional Engineer Tarek Hasan said, "We will soon repair the broken barriers. But public awareness is also essential."
Locals warn that unless barriers are restored and awareness campaigns strengthened, accidents will continue to rise on this busy highway.
