Madaripur, Aug 21 (V7N) — In Uttar Pachkhola village of Ward 2, Pachkhola Union, Madaripur Sadar Upazila, over 500 families are enduring daily hardship due to the dire condition of a one-kilometer road stretching from Abbas Matubbar’s Bridge to the Itally Bricks area. The road, left without repair for over a year, has deteriorated into a dangerous, pothole-ridden path that residents now describe as a death trap.
 
Used daily by thousands of people — including schoolchildren, patients, workers, and commuters — the road's crumbling surface and gaping potholes have made walking and driving extremely hazardous. Residents claim that despite repeated pleas to the Union Parishad chairman, Upazila chairman, and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), no steps have been taken to rehabilitate the road.
 
In the absence of government support, the local community attempted to repair the road with personal funds, but the effort stalled due to lack of financial resources. Demonstrations and human chains have since been organized by residents to draw attention to the matter.
 
Mirjin Howlader, a local resident, said, “This road is a death trap. Potholes here are up to one and a half feet deep. It’s hard even to walk. We need immediate relief.”
 
Abu Bakkar Siddiquee, the imam of the local mosque, expressed grave concern: “I don’t know if there’s another road in the country this dangerous. Vehicles can't pass, and we can’t even transport patients to the hospital. Authorities must act now.”
 
Sagar Fakir, another resident, lamented the inaction: “Politicians come and go, but our road has seen no development. We are perhaps the most neglected part of this district. No one knows when this road will finally be repaired.”
 
When contacted, UNO Wadiah Shabab stated that she had seen photographs of the road circulating on social media and acknowledged its poor condition. “Efforts will be made to repair the road through the Upazila Parishad or the LGED. However, it may take some time,” she said.
 
Badal Chandra Kirtania, Executive Engineer of LGED Madaripur, added that there is currently no allocated funding or existing project for this road. “We will conduct a field visit and may consider the road for repair once funding becomes available. But that too will take time,” he noted.
 
Despite ongoing appeals and grassroots initiatives, the residents of Uttar Pachkhola remain caught in a cycle of bureaucratic delays and infrastructural neglect. The community continues to call on local authorities to prioritize their safety and mobility by restoring the road without further delay.
 
END/SMR/SMA/