Pabna, JUNE 02 (V7N) – Frustrated by years of neglect and impassable conditions, villagers in Chatmohar Upazila of Pabna are taking matters into their own hands, building a vital road with their personal funds and voluntary labor. The dirt road, essential for cultivating land and transporting crops from the Chay Anir Beel, becomes a quagmire during the monsoon season, causing endless suffering for farmers.

Despite repeated appeals to local public representatives and the upazila administration for the construction of a submersible road, no action was taken. This forced the villagers to begin laying bricks and sand on the road themselves, starting from Madari Fakir's house adjacent to Gournagar-Binyabari village of Nimaichhara union on Saturday (May 31).

Locals explained that the nearly one-kilometer-long dirt road is the sole access point for farming and crop transportation in the beel. Its dilapidated state, particularly during the rainy season, makes it impassable, leading to immense difficulties for farmers trying to bring their produce home by cow and buffalo carts.

Mostadul Haque, former general secretary of Nimaichra Union Jubo Dal, highlighted the road's significance, stating that people from several surrounding villages cultivate the six-acre beel, making its crops a primary source of income. He emphasized the severe hardship faced by farmers due to the neglected road, noting that vehicles cannot travel and many have been injured. "We have repeatedly appealed to the local members, chairman, and upazila administration about the poor condition of the road, but nothing has been done. Therefore, we, the villagers, are taking the initiative to build the road ourselves," he said.

Abdur Rouf, a former UP member of Ward No. 8, echoed these sentiments, explaining the difficulties in transporting crops and the frequent instances of vehicles getting stuck in the mud. "For this reason, we built the road with our own funds and volunteered our efforts," he added.

Local farmer Maqbul Hossain described the perilous conditions, where farmers risk injury and their crops get ruined while trying to move produce from the low-lying beel road to the higher main road. Witnessing the lack of official action, the villagers collectively decided to pool resources and repair the road themselves.

Shaheen Alam, local BRDB Group Manager, confirmed that the road, neglected for an estimated 30-35 years despite its importance to a 500-hectare agricultural plot served by five government-approved deep tube wells, has seen no attention from past chairmen or members. Consequently, villagers were compelled to raise funds and volunteer for the repair work.

When informed about the situation, Chatmohar Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Musa Naser Chowdhury expressed appreciation for the locals' efforts and initiatives. He pledged to visit the road to assess the situation and determine the necessary steps for constructing a submersible road, assuring that he would "try my best to alleviate the suffering of the locals."

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