Accident-prone roads

Most of the Jhalakathi municipality roads have become dilapidated, causing suffering to the commuters.

All the 88 km of roads under the municipality are in battered condition, said M Abu Hanif, executive engineer of the municipality.

The municipality established in 1875 was upgraded to first-class municipality in 1999.

Many important government and non-government offices -- Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital, district judge's court, jailhouse, deputy commissioner's office, fire service station, post office, police superintendent's office, civil surgeon's office and many other offices -- are situated in the municipality.  

Thousands of people commute on the municipality roads every day. Passengers of different vehicles are the worst sufferers due to the hundreds of potholes developed on the main road stretching from the bus stand to Sadhana Mor.

Patients, particularly pregnant women, have to endure sufferings while travelling on the road, said Akijur Rahman, an attendant at Sadar Hospital.

“I was injured when I fell from my motorcycle as its front wheel went into a pothole about two months ago,” said journalist Abdur Rahim.

“We usually use auto-rickshaw to move in the town, but cannot go to many areas due to the bad condition of the roads,” said Manik Acharya, a lawyer of the judge's court. “The roads were repaired four years ago but the work was of very low quality,” he added.

“I used to earn Tk 400 to Tk 500 daily, but now there are very few passengers as they are not willing to travel by auto-rickshaw due to the horrible condition of the roads,” said driver Abul Hossain in the bus stand area.

“Our sales fall when it rains as customers do not come to this area because of water-logging on the road,” said shopkeeper Gobinda.

 “The repair work will be started very soon as we have completed the tender process,” said Hanif.

 “People's sufferings caused by the damaged roads will be over in a short time,” said Jhalakathi municipality Mayor Liakat Ali Talukder.