Roads in Khulna region have become death traps, The situation in Jessore is dire

BRTA's Khulna Divisional Director Engineer Md. Ziaur Rahman said that from January to December 2024, 689 road accidents occurred in 10 districts of Khulna division. 633 people lost their lives in these accidents. 651 people were injured. The number of road accidents in Khulna district was 36. 40 people were killed and 29 were injured. 74 people were killed and 106 were injured in 76 road accidents in Bagerhat district. 53 road accidents in Satkhira district, 58 people were killed and 63 were injured. 134 people were killed and 155 were injured in 150 road accidents in Jessore district. 29 people were killed and 40 were injured in 28 road accidents in Narail. 30 people were killed and 30 were injured in 34 road accidents in Magura. 79 people were killed and 66 were injured in 78 road accidents in Jhenaidah.  In Kushtia, 81 people were killed and 43 injured in 94 road accidents. In Chuadanga, 77 people were killed and 77 injured in 98 road accidents. In Meherpur, 31 people were killed and 42 injured in 42 road accidents.

Nasir Uddin, president of the Metropolitan Branch of Nirapat Sarak Chai (NISCHA), said that the death rate of people under the age of 30 in road accidents is now high. Most of them are victims of motorcycle accidents. One of the reasons for road accidents is road chaos. Different types of vehicles ply on the roads. Especially now, accidents are increasing due to the abundance of two- and three-wheelers.

The roads and highways in the division's 10 districts have become a terrifying death trap. In some places, there are potholes, in others, the pitch has been lifted. The road has become unfit for traffic within a year of construction. The project to widen and develop the four-kilometer-long Shipyard Road, one of the gateways to Khulna city, was supposed to be completed within two years. But despite extending the deadline 6-7 times in the last 11 years, the work has not been completed. On the contrary, the cost of the project has increased by more than Tk 150 crore due to repeated extensions. Despite expressing anger over the slow pace of this project from the highest echelons of the government, the situation has not changed. Even though Divisional Commissioner Firoz Sarkar contacted KDA on the issue, there is no progress in the work. Despite visiting Khulna several times, officials of the Public Works Ministry could not resolve the issue. As a result, millions of passengers are walking on this road with hellish pain. At least five regional and national highways in the division, including Khulna-Satkhira, Jessore-Khulna, Jhenaidah-Jessore, Khulna-Mongla highways, are becoming unusable. The procession of deaths on the Khulna-Satkhira highway seems to be unstoppable. In the past year, 30 people have lost their lives in at least 45 accidents. More than a hundred others have been injured. In about 20 kilometers of the Jessore-Khulna highway, there are small and big holes on the surface of the road, and the asphalt has lifted in some places. Sometimes cars are overturning on the Jessore-Khulna highway, sometimes tires are bursting. The condition of the Jhenaidah-Jessore highway is even worse. Small and big holes have formed at various places on the highway from Jhenaidah to Jessore, including Bhutiaragati, Tentultala, Bishyakhali, Nitmala. Now, driving has become difficult due to dust. The suffering has reached its peak due to the laying of bricks in these places for movement. Accidents are almost happening. The condition of the Satkhira-Shyamnagar regional highway is also bad. The road has not been renovated for a long time. The same picture is on the Khulna-Mongla highway, the road leading to the sea port in the southern region. Heavy vehicles heading to the port are constantly moving at a reduced speed on at least 10 kilometers of the road. The pitch of these roads has become big holes. Stones and rocks have come out and the soil has come out. When it rains and tides come, many roads are submerged in water. Accidents happen.

END/SDA/AJ