The residents of six villages in Chatmohar Upazila of Pabna have been suffering for ages due to just 3 kilometers of unpaved road.
While many rural roads across the country have been repaired or constructed again, the condition of the road from Khayerbari to Jagatala in Chatmohar upazila remains unchanged. Despite repeated assurances, the representatives have not kept their promises.
The suffering of the people doubles during the monsoon. With just a little rain, people have to wade through knee-deep mud. The lack of a paved road has also hindered the socio-economic development of the local residents.
While rural roads across the country are experiencing development, the people in these six villages enduring hardship for a long time because of this unpaved road. Many villagers still have to wade through mud to get around.
The locals said the unpaved road from Khayerbari to Jagatala in the Mathurapur Union of the upazila is 3 kilometers long, passing through six villages, including Khayerbari, Goyalbari, Mathurapur, Jagatala, Chak Uthuli, and Kubirdia. At least 20,000 people reside in these six villages, including both Muslim and Christian communities. Due to the road being completely submerged in muddy water, they are unable to reach their religious institutions.
While describing the problems they face due to the umpaved road, the locals further said Children face difficulties in their studies, and farmers struggle with agricultural work, transporting crops, and traveling from the village to the city. Taking sick individuals to the hospital becomes extremely challenging. At times, local residents attempt to alleviate the situation by laying bricks and gravel to create a path for themselves.
The mothers of the area raised concerned about their daughters saying parents are facing difficulties in marrying off their children due to the deplorable condition of the unpaved road. The lack of a proper road has hindered the socio-economic development of the residents in these six villages. Despite repeated assurances from local representatives to pave the road, they have not fulfilled their promises. Therefore, the affected residents are demanding urgent action to pave the road and alleviate their suffering. Regarding the matter, Upazila Engineer of Chatmohar Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) Md Sultan Mahmud, said Chatmohar upazila has a total of 697 kilometers of roads, including 300 kilometers of paved roads and 397 kilometers of unpaved roads. Proposals have been sent to the authorities concerned in Pabna district to repair the rural unpaved roads. If the project is approved, there will be no unpaved roads left in Chatmohar Upazila.
