Amtali-Taltali Highway: Costly repairs, short-lived results

The 40-kilometre regional road connecting Amtali, Taltali, and Fakirhat in Barguna has fallen into disrepair just 11 months after an extensive repair project, causing significant hardship for over 100,000 residents in Amtali and Taltali upazilas.

The road, previously carpeted, is now filled with potholes and uneven surfaces, making travel difficult, especially during the rainy season when water fills these pits, rendering sections nearly impassable.

In October 2021, the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) awarded a Tk 8.43 crore contract to contractor Md Sagir Hossain to repair 8.4 kilometres of the road in three phases.

By late 2022, two of these segments had been completed, with the final stretch between Tarikata and Kachupatra finished in December last year.

However, locals have alleged that Hossain, who was involved in Awami League politics, used substandard materials, ignoring the specified requirements and leading to the road's premature deterioration.

"Shortly after repairs, the road began deteriorating, forming numerous potholes," said driver Md Shah Alam Talukder.

Local Motaleb Mia from Tarikata area said poor-quality work has left the road in an unusable state within less than a year, significantly impacting daily travel for people and vehicles in Amtali-Taltali upazilas.

A recent inspection confirmed the poor condition of the road, with large potholes appearing every 50 metres.

Contractor Sagir Hossain claimed that heavy vehicles exceeding the road's load capacity have contributed to the damage. He acknowledged receiving renovation requests from LGED but has yet to initiate repairs.Amtali Upazila LGED Engineer Md Idris Ali said multiple letters have been sent to Hossain urging action, though he has yet to respond. As a result, his security deposit has been withheld.

Barguna LGED Executive Engineer Mehadi Hasan Khan said further action will be taken against the contractor for failing to meet the project standards.