Years of neglect leave Patharghata road in ruins

PATHARGHATA, BARGUNA, July 13: A nearly 1.5-kilometre road in South Haritana area under Sadar Union of Patharghata Upazila has remained in a dilapidated condition for years, causing severe hardship for several thousand residents, particularly during the monsoon.

The road, riddled with potholes, mud and broken sections, has become almost impassable after even light rainfall, making daily commuting difficult for local people.

Residents said the road has developed numerous large potholes due to the lack of maintenance over a long period. During the rainy season, rainwater fills the potholes, making them difficult to detect and increasing the risk of accidents.

Elderly people, women, children, patients and school and college students are among those suffering the most. Motorcycles, auto-rickshaws and vans frequently overturn on the damaged road, resulting in minor and sometimes serious accidents, locals said.

According to residents, the road is one of the main communication routes for people in South Haritana. Students, farmers, day labourers and people from different professions use it every day. However, years of neglect have left the road in such poor condition that travelling during the monsoon has become extremely difficult.

Locals alleged that despite enduring the problem for years, no effective initiative has been taken to repair the road. They said they had repeatedly informed local public representatives and the authorities concerned, but no visible action had been taken.

Md Rafsan Ahmed Shamim, a resident of the area, said, "This road is one of the most important routes for the people of our locality. The suffering becomes even worse during the rainy season because it has not been repaired for a long time. Prompt reconstruction of the road will ease the hardship of thousands of residents."