Unmarked speed breakers pose risk for commuters on three highways passing through the district.

The speed breakers on Barisal-Dhaka, Barisal-Khulna and Barisal-Kuakata highways cannot be seen from a distance as there are no markings or signs to warn the drivers.

The speed breakers can be seen only from very near, when it is too late to control the speed of the vehicles, said bus driver Sumon.

“Although I am a regular driver on the highways, I sometimes forget about the speed breakers due to the absence of markings or signs,” said car driver Akijur Rahman. Some speed breakers are made so badly that a car cannot cross over them easily, he added.

“Some passengers in the back seats got injured a month ago when I crossed the speed breaker at Kashipur in Barisal city as I did not notice it until I was very near to it,” said Jamal Hossain, a highway bus driver.

The speed breakers are traps for new drivers, he said, adding that many new drivers will come on the roads during Eid and they may have accidents due to the speed breakers.

“Some days ago I fell off the bike and got badly injured because I did not notice the speed breaker in Kaligira on Barisal-Khulna highway,” said Riyad, a biker of Ruapatoli area in Barisal city.

Patients, particularly pregnant women, suffer the most, said Dr Mahbubur Rahman of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in district.

There are 17 speed breakers on around 15 km of highways under Barisal city, and 19 on 20 km from Barisal to Bakerganj of Barisal-Kuakata highway. None of them has any marking or sign to warn drivers.

All the speed breakers should be marked with colours immediately to avoid accidents during the Eid rush, drivers said.

“We painted the speed breakers about three weeks ago but the paint was washed away by the rain. We will paint them again during sunny weather,” said Golam Mostafa, executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department in Barisal.