Naogaon townies suffer for broken roads, water-logging

NAOGAON, Oct 9: Broken roads, large potholes and knee-deep water have made movement difficult in many parts of the Naogaon town, causing the most trouble for patients, pregnant women, students and elderly people.

A recent visit to Tajer Mor, Kalitala, Palpara, Sultanpara, Gosthatir Mor, Ukilpara, Chakbaria and Doyaler Mor found several roads in poor condition. In some places, the bitumen has worn away, while deep potholes have developed elsewhere.

Some roads have remained without proper repair for nearly a decade. In places where brick chips were used after the bitumen disappeared, those have also worn away.

Rainwater often fills the potholes, making it difficult for drivers to judge their depth. Vehicles have to move slowly, causing traffic congestion in some areas.

Auto-rickshaw, CNG and rickshaw drivers are often reluctant to use the damaged roads. Even when passengers offer higher fares, they sometimes fail to find vehicles willing to take them through the affected areas.

Sazzad Hossain, Executive Engineer of Naogaon Municipality, said the municipality was established in 1963 and upgraded to a second-class municipality in 1980 and a first-class municipality in 1989.

The municipality covers about 39 square kilometres and has a population of around two lakh. It has nearly 300km of roads, including 150km paved, 50km semi-paved and 100km unpaved roads.

“About 80 per cent of these roads need repairs,” he said.

The poor road conditions have also created difficulties during emergencies. Locals said many drivers were reluctant to carry patients to hospitals through damaged roads. Travelling with pregnant women has become particularly risky, while potholes frequently damage vehicle parts and increase the risk of accidents.

Omar Faruk, a resident of Chakbaria, said the situation worsens during the rainy season.

“Work has started on some roads, but travelling remains difficult during rain. Many places become waterlogged after even a little rainfall,” he said.

Abdul Jalil, a rickshaw driver from Gosthatir Mor, said water-filled potholes were particularly dangerous.

“It is impossible to tell how deep a pothole is when it is filled with water. Rickshaw wheels and other parts get damaged, and carrying passengers becomes risky,” he said.

Students are also suffering because of the poor roads. During the rainy season, mud and water make it difficult for them to reach schools on time.

Hossain Ali, a sixth-grade student at Prashika Vidyaniketan, said, “It becomes very difficult to go to school when it rains. Roads remain covered with water and mud. My shoes and clothes often get dirty, and vehicles are also hard to find.”

Khairun Nahar Khushi, a schoolteacher in the CIO Office area, said improvements to roads and drainage were necessary to reduce people’s suffering during rain.

The inadequate drainage system has further worsened the situation. Rainwater cannot drain quickly in many areas, while waste accumulated in some drains obstructs water flow. Residents said prolonged water-logging also causes bad odours and increases mosquitoes and flies.

Meanwhile, holding taxes and water bills were increased from July 1, 2025, amid complaints about civic services.
Social worker Nais Akter said residents expected better roads, drainage, water supply, waste management and street lighting in return for paying taxes.

Municipal Administrator TMA Momin said the tax increase was in line with municipal law, under which taxes are reassessed every five years.

He said work on 11 roads had already started and other roads would be repaired in phases.

Residents now want the ongoing repair work completed quickly and expect long-neglected roads and drainage systems to be improved.