Prolonged dug-up Manikganj road woes for local residents

OUR CORRESPONDENT

MANIKGANJ, July 04: A key road beside Manikganj Government High School has been left dug up for nearly seven months, causing severe hardship for thousands of local residents.

The road was excavated in December last year to install reinforced concrete cement (RCC) drainage pipes, but construction has remained largely stalled since then.

A visit to the area found the road covered with mud and stagnant water following recent rainfall, while large potholes have made movement hazardous for pedestrians and vehicles alike.

During dry weather, dust from the unfinished road creates another source of suffering for commuters.

One of the town's busiest routes, the road runs from SK Girls' High School to Manikganj Government High School.

It is used daily by students of Manikganj Government High School, SK Girls' High School, and Government Primary School No. 88, as well as worshippers

visiting the nearby central mosque and residents of surrounding neighborhoods.

According to local residents, the road was

excavated in December 2025 for drainage improvement work. Although the excavation was completed soon after

the project began, construction has since progressed very slowly, leaving the road in a dangerous condition for months.

Headmaster of Manikganj Government High School, Mumtaz Begum, said two SSC examinees and one student from the adjacent government primary school were injured after falling into potholes on the road during the recently concluded Secondary School Certificate examinations.

Residents say even light rainfall turns the road into a muddy stretch, while dry weather fills the air with dust. They added that transporting sick or elderly people by rickshaw has become nearly impossible because of the damaged road.

Maria, a student of SK Girls' High School, said she has to use the road every day to attend school.

"The road becomes completely muddy after rain. The situation is extremely difficult, and several students have already been injured after falling into the potholes. We want the authorities to complete the work immediately."

Rayan Chowdhury, a student of Government Primary School No. 88, said he feels frightened while travelling to school because of the large holes in front of the school. "Rickshaws

can no longer use the road properly, so we often have to walk."

Rashedur Rahman, a parent, said bringing children to school every day has become a major challenge.

"There is always a risk of accidents. It is unacceptable that such an

important road has remained dug up for seven months."

Local resident Mizanur Rahman said the suffering extends far beyond schoolchildren.

"Thousands of people use this road every day. Even taking a sick person to the hospital by rickshaw has become extremely difficult. Unless the work is completed soon, a serious accident may occur."

Anwar Hossain, a regular worshipper at the nearby mosque, said elderly people face particular difficulties reaching the mosque for daily prayers.

"During the rainy season, avoiding the mud and deep potholes is extremely difficult."

Another worshipper, Sirajul Islam, said hundreds of people use the road every Friday for congregational prayers.

The prolonged delay has caused immense suffering for everyone. The work should be completed without further delay,

he added.

Local residents alleged that the contractor lacks the financial capacity to complete the project efficiently. They claimed the contractor is unable to continue work on one project before receiving payment for another, resulting in prolonged delays and leaving the road in a hazardous condition.

According to Manikganj municipality, the road improvement

project is part of a larger municipal development programme consisting of ten work packages. Under Package No. 9, M/S Shahjahan Engineering Construction Limited was awarded the contract to install RCC drainage pipes and reconstruct the road. The work, however, is being implemented through a subcontractor.

Sub-contractor Sohel Hossain said construction has been delayed because numerous gas and water pipelines remain beneath the road.

"Some pipelines have already been relocated, but several others are still in place. Until they are removed, we cannot proceed with the remaining construction work."

Executive Engineer of Manikganj Municipality, Md. Abdul Aziz Khan, said the contractor has repeatedly been instructed to complete the work as quickly as possible.

"Despite repeated reminders, the contractor has failed to show satisfactory progress. We are now considering appointing a new contractor if necessary."

asadlimon@gmail.com