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Mawna flyover: only four of 64 streetlights working

Published : Monday, 28 September, 2026 at 11:03 AM

Observer Correspondent

The Mawna area presents two very different scenes during the day and at night. While Mawna intersection remains busy with long-distance buses, passengers and industrial workers during the day, much of the Mawna Flyover falls into darkness after sunset.

The flyover has 32 poles, with one streetlight installed on each side of every pole, making a total of 64 lights. However, according to local residents, only four of them are currently working, leaving the remaining 60 out of service.

As a result, the nearly 900-metre-long flyover becomes largely dark late at night. Passengers getting off long-distance buses and pedestrians unfamiliar with the area face concerns about moving around in the darkness.

Local residents said the problem is not new. They claim most of the lights have remained out of order for nearly five years, raising concerns over safety.

Concerns Over Night-time Safety

Mawna intersection is an important transport route and remains busy at night because of the surrounding industrial area. Long-distance buses frequently drop off passengers there at night, many of whom are unfamiliar with the area.

Auto-rickshaw driver Al Mahmud said most of the flyover remains dark at night. He claimed that the lack of lighting makes passengers and pedestrians feel unsafe and could create opportunities for criminals.

Locals, however, did not claim that crimes are necessarily taking place because of the darkness. Rather, they said poor lighting could create opportunities for incidents such as mugging and theft.

Pedestrian Atikul Islam said many passengers get off long-distance buses on the flyover late at night and may face difficulties because they are unfamiliar with the area. He called for the streetlights to be repaired as soon as possible.

Mawna Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Kamruzzaman also acknowledged that most of the flyover's lights are not working.

He said police maintain additional surveillance in the area to prevent criminal activities, but the lights need to be repaired quickly.

Flyover Transformed Mawna

The Mawna Flyover was opened on April 11, 2015. Its total length, including the approach roads, is around 900 metres, while the main flyover is 450 metres long and 19 metres wide.

The flyover was built under a Roads and Highways Department project of the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry at a cost of more than Tk 70 crore.

After its opening, traffic congestion at the Mawna intersection section of the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway decreased significantly. Long-distance and faster-moving vehicles could use the flyover, reducing pressure on the roads below.

The flyover also contributed to increased business activity in the area, according to local traders.

Hotel businessman Billal Hossain said Mawna had changed significantly since the flyover was built, with increased business activity and a growing flow of people. He said inadequate lighting at such an important location was a major concern.

What Happened to the 64 Lights?

The flyover has 32 poles, with two lights on each pole, bringing the total to 64.

According to local residents, only four are currently functioning, meaning 60 lights are out of order.

However, officials of the Roads and Highways Department disputed the claim that all or most of the lights had been out of service for such a long period.

Gazipur Roads and Highways Department engineer Md Tarek Hossain said it was not accurate to say that all the lights had been broken for a long time. He said a small number of lights were out of order last year, while more lights had gradually stopped working.

He said the department is considering installing solar-powered lights at the flyover in line with the government's directives on energy conservation. Work on the plan is expected to move forward after the current fiscal year's budget is announced.

Plan for the Future, Darkness in the Present

The proposed installation of solar-powered lights could improve the flyover's lighting system. But local residents want the existing lights repaired while the new system is being planned.

The Mawna Flyover is not an isolated structure. Long-distance buses, cargo vehicles and other traffic use it every day, while passengers from different parts of the country get off there late at night. Industrial workers also use the area after dark.

For residents, therefore, the fact that only four of the flyover's 64 lights are working is not simply an issue of faulty streetlights. They say it is also connected to the safety and normal movement of people using an important transport hub at night.

-RS/MT