SYLHET, July 07: Although vehicles of different modes started plying the Abduj Jahur Bridge over the Surma river in Sunamganj district town, bus services with the upazilas like Jamalganj, Tahirpur and Biswambharpur couldn't be started as yet due to the deplorable state of the connecting roads.
Besides, the Niamatpur-Tahirpur road was built around four years ago while work on the Sunamganj-Jamalganj road was completed years back at a cost of Tk 125 billion, both are in pitiable conditions now.
The 35-km road from Sunamganj to Tahirpur has been in a pitiable state while Tahirpur-Anwarpur, Tahirpur- Niamatpur roads are also full of potholes at different points.
People suffer much while travelling on the 20-km Sunamganj-Jamalganj road, 15 km Sunamganj-Biswambharpur and the Sunamganj-Tahirpur roads by auto-rickshaw, human hauler or easy-bike due to the absence of bus service even after the opening of the long-demanded bridge five years ago.
Visitors from different areas go to the tourist spots like Tanguar haor, Niladri Lake and the Laurergar Hills on the foot of the Meghalaya through Tahirpur road while traders from remote areas have to travel to Sachnabazar in Dharmapasha upazila everyday.
For travelling to and from the capital, the inhabitants from these upazilas have to come first to the district town by auto rickshaw, human hauler or easy bike. Some people use commercially-run motorbikes on these roads
Sources said Tk 740 million was spent for the Niamatpur road while Tk 519 million was spent for the Sunamganj-Jamalganj road just years ago, but both roads had gone worst meantime.
Roads and Highways Department officials, however, claimed the roads were badly damaged by the floods years ago. Steps are being taken for repairing those, he added.
Deputy Commissioner of Sunamganj Md Abdul Ahad however said works are ongoing on the road connecting Tahirur upazila. Buses would be plying through it via Biswmbharpur upazila after completion of the road's widening works, he added.
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