Fifteen lakh people of five upazilas of Sylhet division have been suffering badly as the Sylhet-Golapganj-Zakiganj-Beanibazar road has become almost unfit for movement due to lack of renovation for a long time.
The road is the main mode of communication for the residents of Golapganj, Beanibazar, Zakiganj, Kanaighat upazilas of Sylhet district and Borolekha upazila of Moulvibazar district.
Besides, goods of imports and exports between India and Bangladesh through the Sutarkandi (Sheola) land port are transported on this road.
Locals said big potholes developed on the road due to a lack of renovation for the last several years, making it unfit for the movement of vehicles as well as pedestrians.
Sometimes goods-laden trucks get stuck in these potholes and it takes almost double the time to reach destinations because of the slow movement of vehicles on the road.
Although this road has been in such a terrible condition for several years the authorities have not taken any initiative to repair it, they said.
Zahid Ahmed, a resident of Baraigram of Charkhai area said, the road is used by many school and college students, job holders, businessmen and people of all classes.
Patients who come to the city for treatment have to endure untold suffering during movement on the road.
Enam Ahmed, vice president of Biyanibazar Chamber of Commerce, said it’s a very important road as it is used by residents of five upazilas but it has become dilapidated due to lack of maintenance work.
Abul Kashem Pallab, chairman of Biyanibazar upazila parishad, demanded immediate renovation of the road.
Md. Mostafizur Rahman, an executive engineer of the Roads and Highways Department in Sylhet, said the potholes were created on some portion of the road.
Biyanibazar-Chandarpur-Sylhet and Beanibazar-Kalijuri-Sylhet roads which are under the supervision of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) is used by the local people as alternative mode of communication with divisional city. But in the last few years, the roads have also become vulnerable.
