Work on Kushtia bypass starts after 22 years

Construction work on the long-desired Kushtia town bypass has finally commenced after 22 years of waiting. The 6.60-km road will run from Bottail to Barkhada.

A total of 55.16 acres of land in six villages of Kushtia Sadar upazila were requisitioned for construction of the road at a cost of Tk 4.97 crore.

Two PC bridges and 20 culverts will also be built along the road. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The bypass is expected to relieve Kushtia town of heavy traffic congestion caused by the Kushtia-Khulna highway that goes through the heart of the town. This highway is currently the only road link between the southwestern and northern regions.

People have been demanding priority construction of a bypass, but no government ever took the initiative to do so.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) recently approved a project named 'Kushtia bypass road' involving Tk 73 crore.

“We have been demanding construction of this road for a long time. We thank the present government as it has started the work,” said Robiul Hossain Robin, a resident and businessman of Mazampur area of Kushtia town.

Palash Tahram, a Class VIII student of Kushtia Zilla School, who has to negotiate heavy traffic on his way to and from school, said he wants to see the road constructed soon.

Mahbubul Alam Hanif, lawmaker of Kushtia-3 and joint general secretary of Awami League, played a role in achieving approval for the project.

“This project was a commitment made by Prime Minister Seikh Hasina during her visit to Kushtia last year,” Hanif said, adding that the people of the southwest and the north of the country will be benefited by this project.