Bagerhat Municipality: Waterlogging, potholes plague bus terminal

The central bus terminal in Bagerhat has been in a poor condition for over 20 years, with large potholes and craters damaging vehicles and causing suffering for drivers and passengers.

Transport workers and bus owners allege that no repair or maintenance work has been done since the terminal was built in 2004.

"There are potholes all over the terminal. Vehicle parts are frequently damaged when buses go through them," said Narayan Das, a transport worker.

According to the bus owners' association, each bus pays a daily toll of Tk 50 to use the terminal.

"We have been paying tolls every day, but not a single major renovation has taken place since the terminal's construction," said Jasim Uddin, a bus owner.

During rainfall, the entire area becomes waterlogged, making it nearly impossible to walk or operate vehicles within the terminal premises.

"The condition of the central bus terminal is very poor. In the rainy season, we have to wade through dirty water just to get tickets. Sometimes, passing buses splash water and ruin our clothes," said Bellal Sheikh, a resident of Bagerhat town.

Rahim Sheikh, a commuter from Basabati area, said, "I have been travelling through this terminal for nearly ten years. The situation has remained unchanged. There are potholes everywhere, making it difficult to walk. Vehicles also get damaged when they sink into these craters."

The terminal, built on two acres of land, accommodates at least 200 vehicles and operates buses to 16 local routes and several inter-district destinations including Khulna, Barishal, Pirojpur, and Gopalganj. Around 100 buses use the terminal daily, transporting thousands of passengers.

Transport workers and bus owners also raised concerns over the lack of basic facilities.

"There's no proper passenger shed either. The lights are broken and lying unused," said Fuad Hasan, another bus owner.

Md Shahidul Islam, member-secretary of the Bagerhat Inter-District Bus and Minibus Owners' Association, said the association had last submitted a written request in January, urging the municipality to carry out necessary development work before the rainy season.

Contacted, Abdullah Al Masum, executive engineer of Bagerhat municipality, said, "I have inspected the terminal and found potholes that are affecting parking and movement. We have decided to carry out temporary repairs immediately."

"A project is being undertaken for a long-term solution to the terminal's problems. Our aim is to ensure the terminal can be used safely and effectively by the bus owners' association," he added.