Mokhlesur Rahman Mamun, Ullapara:

At least 30,000 people of 12 villages in Ullapara upazila of Sirajganj district have been facing immense suffering for long due to lack of a Pacca road from Udhunia Union’s Khordogozail to Khanpur.

People of these villages can’t move through the earthen road for its muddy, slippery and waterlogged conditions.

The road has been lying neglected without any development for over 54 years since the independence. Due to muddy road, the villages have been remained away from development and people of the villages are being deprived of all modern facilities. The road turns to unfit for vehicular movements, if little rain is fallen. Plying of vans, auto-rickshaws and motorcycles is very difficult due to mud during the rainy season. People from other developed villages don’t agree to come to the villages for developing relationship like marriage due to poor communication facilities. Not only that students, patients, businessmen and farmers face difficulties for want of Pacca road. Carrying of critical patients to town’s hospital is very difficult. Besides, farmers and businessmen can’t transport their goods easily to hats and towns for sell. Due to lack of Pacca road, they are forced to count additional cost and time, while using the road.

Locals including Farid Mian, Bablu Sarker, van driver Shahidul Islam and Shahadat Hossain Mandal said, “About 30,000 people of at least 12 villages including Baghmara, Betkandi, Khanpur, Madarbaria, Dasmorich, Kalianjiri, Subddhimorich, Komolmorich, Pantapara, Raghunathpur and Chandipur are compelled to use the road as it maintains link between several parts of Ullapara, Chatmohor and Bhangura upazila. So, the road is very important for public and transports’ movements. But, people of these areas are being deprived of modern communication facility for long due to lack of development of the road.”

Nazim Uddin Sarker, a student of Koyra High School said, “We face huge problem to go to school during rainy season. The whole road becomes unfit for movements due to stagnated water and mud.”

Farzana Khandaker, a school teacher of the area said, “We can’t carry our patients for taking to hospital during emergency due to earthen road. Many patients die on the way before reaching to hospital.”

Rahmatul Bari, Headmaster of Pongkharua Government Primary School said, “Our villages have been lying neglected for long due to lack of a Pacca road. Due to it, education, business and other activities related with the villages are being hampered drastically. There are public representatives, who just provide assurance. But they don’t do anything to alleviate our miseries.”

Md. Shahid Ullah, Upazila Engineer of LGED in Raiganj said, “This road will be included with Sirajganj Development Project, which is going to be launched soon. If we get nod of the project, the three kilometers of the road from Khordogozail to Khanpur will be developed as Pacca road.”